New T206 for the Howe McCormick Collector

[jeffshep]

I would study the manner in which the cards were stamped - are they all stamped at the same angle with the same colored ink and stamper? This would lead you to believe he did this all in one sitting, and not as they trickled in, perhaps through purchases of cigarette packs. Do any of the card fronts display a slight reverse image of the stamp, similar to a wet sheet transfer? If so then he was probably stamping and stacking as he went along. Is the card wear similar throughout the collection? Just a few questions to kick around - it's an amazing endeavor, good luck with it!

[Howe’s Hunter]

On all the Piedmont's, the stamp runs at an angle similar to the frame of the back. They go from running off one side to running off the other, and I have found two that are different than all the others. Those two run top to bottom (or opposite of what you would see a library book spine on a shelf). All the others read top to bottom, but upside down. (the example of the two oddballs are in the SGC article). All the Hindu's and Old Mill's run like a book spine, top to bottom, but centered in the card.

Overall condition of the cards would probably grade fair, but you don't know how much of that is because of McCormick's treatment of the cards, or the treatment since they left his hands. I've got a Hindu backed Sullivan that looks like it was a rat treat, and is missing almost every corner entirely, while I have seen (but don't own, and probably never will) a green back Cobb, that if not for the stamp would probably grade an 6 or 7 (it was graded by GAI and got a 2, but it is a very, very nice 2).

I've not seen any with a wet transfer. And the look of the stamps being all over from side to side, but following the same pattern leads me to believe this wasn't a "I'll sit down tonight and stamp all my cards" type project. I've posted this link before, but it will give you an idea of what the first 30 looked like in terms of condition and where the stamps were

http://s150.photobucket.com/albums/s...t=7a2e9b2a.pbw

[judsonhamlin]

I have a couple of the Post "agent" cards as well and a couple of years ago posted on the possibility of a connection, but never thought about writing the publisher now about records from "back in the day". So nice work, Paul! I do note that the back stamps are essentially the same for the two agents with different addresses - the font size and type are consistent; which suggested to me that the Post was the entity for distributing these cards. Anyone else have these cards?

[Howe’s Hunter]

delete

[Howe’s Hunter]

Here it is in color. Always thought the green ink was a bit strange, considering all his other stamps were black-ish/purple-ish

[Pilot172000]

I just happened upon a McCormick in my collection today. I read this thread years ago and never thought about about again until just now when I came across my Molly Miller with an Old Mill back. It had a piece of tape and when O looked closer it had the stamp on it. Pretty cool.

[Howe’s Hunter]

Thanks.