Raw data (for what it is worth) from the Howe McCormick collection
 

I’ve been thinking about this for a while, that this rebuilt collection might help with figuring out trends for distribution of the cards in the T206 set.

We know all the cards came from the same vendor, the McCormick-Howe General Store, 500 West Main Street, Gainesville, Florida. Howe would not have been lucky enough to get every card that a purchaser of smokes got, but apparently was pretty lucky at getting a lot of them. My rebuild collection now stands at 386 cards, and there are another 37 that I know the existence of, but aren’t with mine. But for now, we’ll just talk about the ones I have.

There is a breakdown of card backs as follows:
166 Piedmont 150 Series
151 Piedmont 350 Series
15 Piedmont 350-460 Series
12 Old Mill
19 Old Mill Southern League
23 Hindu

Of the 332 Piedmont backs, there are no Factory 42 cards. Maybe that is to be expected. Of the 31 Old Mill backs, all are black. That one I would expect. The 23 Hindu backs are all brown, no red ones. That one is no surprise either.

But were cards that would have appeared in the third series (350-460) not run for as long of time as the first two series? I would have expected there to be about an equal number of all three series, given the family store would have sold Piedmont consistently through the period of 1909-1911. Other thoughts, whether correct or not, are that Old Mill and Hindu just weren't as popular as Piedmont. Perhaps more costly?

Just throwing this out there. If anyone can make any assumptions or theories of distribution from this, please do so.

When I started rebuilding the collection in 2007, I thought I might end up with maybe 20 or 30. Now, I’m looking forward to getting to 400, although at my current rate of acquisition, that will be sometime in 2023. Something to look forward to.

And thanks to everyone on the board who has sent, sold, or let me know of a card that was part of the original collection. Wouldn’t be where it is now without your help. Thanks.

Great post Ed - I love it!

I don't have an answer to your question, but I do have a question of my own.
If memory serves, there is more than one version of Howe's stamp, right? Did he live in Gainesville the whole time he was stamping cards, or is one of the addresses different from the other? I have always been interested in where cards where issued and Howe seems like a great way to put a pin on a map (which I may or may not put together some day).

Thanks!

Bryan, great question
 

that blows my theory about those four cards out of the water.

Yes, he did have a second stamp that read

Urich H. McCormick - Agent
Saturday Evening Post
500 West Main Street, Gainesville, Fla

Going back through the collection, I thought I had five of this version, but really only have four. And I had just imagined that one night, he grabbed the wrong stamp, started stamping and thought “Well, wrong stamp, but who cares?” And kept going. Figured he just got those cards all on the same day.

Guess not. Three Piedmont 350 series, one Piedmont 150 series. Shoots that idea all to hell.

Hey Ed, your collection is by far my favorite T206 project.

Have you noticed any correlation between series and color/boldness of the stamps? The few I've held really did vary.

Maybe he had the majority of the collection and stamped them later on?

https://i.imgur.com/wwdxswa.png

Good to know he was in Gainesville the whole time, that means these were all issued there.

I don't know that the second stamp hurts your theory - I think it is possible that there might have been a little overlap in when consecutive series were on shelves, so having the cards over Piedmont 150-350 would allow for that possibility. Now, if they were 150s and 460s only you might have some bigger holes in your boat. :D

Who are the players on those 4 cards? According to T206 Resource, the 150 series was printed until July-August 1909 and then the 350 series started, but both of these were print group 1 cards. Print group two started in early 1910. So if all four are print group 1, then the possibility of them having been acquired at, or near, the same time still seems possible to me. (I am not a print group expert though, so someone else may have more to day on this idea.)

Awesome
 

I'd just like to add that I've enjoyed following these posts through the years...very interesting. Please keep 'em coming!

I ran out of steam on T206 after compiling a near set team by team. Have put together many Cubs sets and even started a master back run of the Cubbies. Got partially through the elite eleven and a HOFer subset. Never held my attention. I appreciate what you're doing and the historical recreation of another persons work. I imagine you have developed a connection with the original collector. Always a joy to read about your quest.

386! Congrats Ed, what a fantastic project. I still chuckle at your response when I alerted you to a candy card with a Howe stamp. "If I was to start collecting E-cards with a Howe stamp my wife would no longer be my wife".
Good luck on grabbing the other 37, I'm rooting for you.

Ed Incredible collection.

To try and answer a couple of the questions that have come up ...
 

Bryan, the four cards with the green Saturday Evening Post stamp are

Berger - Cleveland - 350 Subjects
McQuillan - Philadelphia - 350 Subjects
Jordan/Portrait - Brooklyn - 150 Subjects
Collins - Philadelphia - 350 Subjects

In terms of his address ... Although he lived his whole life in the Gainesville area, he lived above the family store from birth until sometime just before 1920. His enlistment card from the Army, signed in 1919, lists his address as the 500 West Main, Gainesville address. The 1920 Census records list an address in Achola, Florida, which is the name of the county Gainesville is in, but also a city in the county. He even served his time in WWI at a base in Gainesville.

Chris, in terms of the darkness of the stamp, no clue. I do own seven cards that I know went from Howe to a dealer to a collector then to me. Only three sets of hands before mine. Cards from 150 and 350 Subject series. And the darkness of the stamp on those seven varies quite a bit. I know of another example, which I have photos of, of a Cobb that went from Howe to dealer to current owner, and it has one of the strongest stamps on any card I've seen. Maybe some nights he just didn't ink his stamp as well as other nights?

Also hoping, Chris, that those five in your shot are the ones you found for me at the National about seven or eight years ago? Or do I need to be saving up quite a bit and making a pitch to you?

Again, thanks to everyone on the board for the encouragement and help in rebuilding Howe's collection.

I've also enjoyed following your posts on this over the years, and I wish you good luck in reassembling Howe's collection.

Ha you're good, those are from many years ago, ended up six in total from one dealer. :p

Well, not good news on the print group angle:

Berger - Cleveland - 350 Subjects -- PRINT GROUP 3
McQuillan - Philadelphia - 350 Subjects (there are two, ball in hand and batting)
Jordan/Portrait - Brooklyn - 150 Subjects -- PRINT GROUP 1
Collins - Philadelphia - 350 Subjects -- PRINT GROUP 1

So these wouldn't have been issued consecutively.

Maybe they fell behind his desk or something similar and he found them a few years later after he had already worn out the other stamp?

Collins is print group 2 Bryan.

Again, for what it’s worth …
 

McQuillan - Philadelphia - 350 Subjects (there are two, ball in hand and batting)

My McQuillan has a bat.