A CURATED SELECTION OF GREAT CARDS
54. 1914 T222 Fatima Walter Johnson (HOF) - SGC AUTHENTIC
An incredibly attractive set of photographic cards, the T222 Fatima issue was produced by the Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company of Virginia in 1914. The cards, extremely condition-sensitive due to the brittle photographic paper are relatively scarce today, highly desirable among advanced collectors. Each card depicts a player in a full-body pose, each photo striking and clear. The cards, despite being brittle and susceptible to a variety of condition woes, are extraordinarily attractive. While the card reverse refers to a 100-card set, the set is actually complete at 52 cards. The majority of cards are found with a small black number beneath the player’s name - the number is between 2-9 or 12-15. Those cards numbered between 12-15 are short-printed cards that are particularly scarce, and far more valuable than the other, more common cards. Besides being the key card in the set from the standpoint of player popularity, the card of Walter Johnson is also one of the scarce short prints. For that reason, this is easily the most important and difficult to acquire card in the entire T222 set, and also one of the most valuable. Its rarity is a reason why few people even attempt to complete this set. This is an extraordinarily rare card, and it seldom makes itself available for public sale. This example is quite strong, though close inspection reveals wear typical for the issue. It should be noted that due to the photographic nature of the paper on which these cards are printed, flaws often do not reveal themselves clearly in scans. Most notable in this case is some light creasing and wrinkling to the photographic emulsion, not visible in the scan, most notable along the left edge. An additional flaw, perhaps more prevalent in the scan
than in person, is light spotting across the bottom of the card, more apparent in the darker areas. Some erased pencil writing remains visible on the reverse. The card, graded Authentic by SGC, measures a full 1/8” short, yet was not deemed to have been trimmed by the grading company. Regardless of its condition flaws, the overall eye appeal remains strong, an exceptional example of a truly difficult card.
MINIMUM BID: $1,000
55. 1911 T3 Turkey Red #99 Walter Johnson (HOF - Ad Back)
56. 1911 M116 Ty Cobb (HOF) - PSA VG-EX 4
One of the key cards in the Turkey Red cabinet card issue, considered by many to be the most beautiful of all the tobacco card sets. Hall of Fame pitcher Walter Johnson stands at the mound, preparing to deliver a pitch to an undoubtedly overmatched batter, the silhouette of the Capital Building on the distant horizon. The image is clean and bright, with wear befitting the technical grade, including a horizontal crease along the bottom portion of the
In recent years, it seems the M116 Sporting Life cards are beginning to get their due. An outstanding set that rivals T206 in terms of player selection but without the multiple poses and variations, the cards each feature handsome portraits of their subjects. Sale prices of the issue’s key cards have more than doubled since the start of the 2020s, led by the key cards of Cobb and Honus Wagner. This example, well centered (as is often the case) with outstanding print registration, is clean, with even corner rounding and little
card, at Johnson’s shins. Additional surface abrasions are visible, with some pronounced corner wear evident. The desirable Turkey Red advertisement on the reverse is largely clean, save for the handwritten card number near the top center.
noticeable surface wear. The quality control in the M116 issue is excellent, most cards reasonably centered and the print quality strong. The result is a host of sharp, attractive cards.
MINIMUM BID: $1,000
MINIMUM BID: $1,000
LOVEOFTHEGAMEAUCTIONS.COM 34
Made with FlippingBook Annual report maker