Masterpieces and Uncommon Commons XXV
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on:
2/12/2010
In 1887, a large New York tobacco firm named Goodwin & Company baseball player cards to promote their Old Judge and Gypsy Queen cigarette brands. Actual player sepia toned photos were pasted on stiff “Blank Back” cardboard, not only as a sales incentive, but to protect the cigarettes via the stiff cardboard stock that was used. Beginning in 1988, tobacco users could send in 25 boxes or Old Judge slips included in the cigarette packs to receive a sepia toned photograph affixed to a 4 ¼” x 6 ½” mount. These ultra-popular cabinet cards are categorized as N173’s and are very desirable to advanced 19th century collectors. While 26 of the 27 Old Judge Hall of Famers exist (there is no known Comiskey cabinet), most of the extremely scarce cabinets belong to non Hall of Famers. This scenario is a result of the tobacco smoking community having their choice of cabinet cards to choose from, obviously selecting the greatest players of the day from the most popular cities (New York, Boston, Chicago, etc.), with many of the lesser known subjects seldom chosen. Justifying this notion is the population report for Chicago 3rd baseman Thomas Burns with this sparse SGC 30/2 offering the SOLE Burns N173 Cabinet listed on the combined population reports for all of the major grading companies. Furthermore, this ultra-obscure cabinet also includes the much scarcer black mount (vs. the more common yellow and pink borders), elevating this “one of one” recorded cabinet’s desirability for any high end collector!
While he only batted over .300 in his first season (1880), Thomas Burns enjoyed 12 solid playing years with the National league’s Chicago White Stockings, eventually ending his career in 1892 with Pittsburgh. A standout infielder, Burns played a majority of his games at 3rd base, with his remaining playing time at shortstop. Fortunately for Burns, his legacy lives on via this remarkable “Black Border” Old Judge cabinet card depicting a “Bat at Ready Nearly Horizontal” variation pose. The miraculous sepia-toned real photo easily defies “father time” via its breathtaking contrast and clarity, with only some diminutive “spotted” surface abrasions appearing on his pants. Gazing at this world class artifact, you can almost pass through time and feel Burn’s presence as he prepares to stroke a pitched ball. The image is well centered between the ultra-obscure back borders, and the corners, while rounded and exhibiting mild layering/creasing, provide an atypical eye pleasing uniformity. The white typography directly below his cleats clearly reads: “BURNS – 3rd B. CHICAGO” and near the lower left border “Copyright 1888 Goodwin & Co.”. The sepia “OLD JUDGE CIGARETTES “Goodwin & Co., New York.” print situated on the lower black border, likewise, has retained a majority of its original definitive state. The reverse side black mount is completely intact, only depicting the aforementioned corner wear at all four tips. While the overall quality aspects are consistent with the technical assessment (due to the cardboard mount’s corners), of greater significance to advanced enthusiasts is the superior state of the aesthetically pleasing Thomas Burns sepia pose that, by far, presents itself in mid-grade form. Eye appealing cabinet cards originating from the 19th century continue to escalate in value and desirability. Add the fact that this extraordinary N173 Cabinet is the SOLE recorded example and includes the seldom seen N173 black mount/borders, no advanced Old Judge collection could possibly be considered complete without its presence!
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