Help on old "Deckle"

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Posted By: Rick Swaine

Can anyone provide information on this item? "Walter Schmidt" is written on the back in pencil. I was told it was a 1936 Deckle, but it's not listed in the catalog and Schmidt's career eneded in 1925.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

It's a circa 1940s Kodak snapshot photo-- the deckle edge was a common style for snapshots in that period. I've seen one or two other deckle edge snapshots of earlier players. I think I saw one of Ty Cobb. I know little about them, but perhaps they were issued by Jim Rowe, George Brace or someone like that. Rowe was a baseball photographer who sold small baseball photos to the public via mail order. Brace did similar.

I had a bunch of Rowe snap shot-sized non-deckle baseballs photos, with the original receipt from him so I know they issued by him, and the photos weren't labeled or stamped with his name anywhere. The circa 1950s photos showed players from a whole range of eras, from Duke Snider to to Willie Keeler. I don't know if yours is a Rowe, but it's on the order of something he'd make.

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Posted By: Dan McCarthy

Here are some snapshots I have that have a similar edge; obviously post-1925 though. These are sometime from the 1940s or 50s.

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Posted By: PC

Looks like Dennis Hopper used to catch.

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Posted By: Scott Mt. Joy

My Deckle photo-

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Posted By: Mark

That is 100% for sure Walter Schmidt.

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Posted By: fkw