This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on:
3/2/2010
A seldom-encountered release is presented here in a truly unique form. Although examples from this issue have never been plentiful in the hobby, their unassuming sepia portrayals have afforded the blank-backed cards a generally low profile when contrasted with other, more flamboyant items. Also, the set's discreet appearance doesn't overtly announce the fact that virtually all of the big names of the day are represented in its creatively arrayed gallery. Besides DiMaggio and two renderings of Williams, the production inconspicuously includes first-year cards of Reese, Rizzuto, Slaughter and Mize. The cards feature two players each, most often in portrait format. (The cards' original packaging tantalized prospective buyers by advertising "4 Pictures" inside Double Play packs ... in this classic product, that actually meant, "2 Cards!") Double Play's general presentation is by players of the same team per card with a moderate bias toward the 1940s' first division teams. Numbers 81-100 (10 individual cards) are vertically oriented action poses, and all of the players highlighted in this series also appear among the regular portrait cards. In the family of pre-war gum cards, this series is far less accessible than Play Ball or most Goudey products. This special offering holds the first 100 of the issue's depictions on five attention-grabbing, multi-card panels. (When properly juxtaposed, the panel quintet reveals the same appearance as the two original, fifty-card factory sheets that collectively held all of the series' player pictures.) The panels and their content highlights include: Panel 1 - 8" x 12-1/2" w/Herman, Medwick, Lombardi, Reese, Ott, Vaughan; Panel 2 - 8-1/4" x 12-1/2" w/P. Waner, Mize, Slaughter; Panel 3 - 6-1/2" x 12-1/2" w/Greenberg (2 diff.), Gehringer, Gomez, Rizzuto, DiMaggio, Cronin, Williams, Gordon, Ruffing; Panel 4 - 3-1/8" x 12-1/2" w/Dickey, Ott; Panel 5 - 6-1/4" x 12-1/2" w/Williams, Cronin, Foxx, Gordon, Ruffing, Appling, Feller, Mize. The panels show understandable wear and faulting, particularly at the edges and corners, as well as scattered surface scuffing. Four panels have corner or edge repairs effected to the backs with vintage adhesive tape. Overall frontal presentation quality of the panels is about VG to EX, with a number of individual portrayals nicer or lesser. One group of card "pairings" has been bisected such that one-half of each of these pieces appears in rows at the right of one sheet and the left of another. A fantastic spectacle, these rare uncut pieces enable a very special view of a desirable and sometimes under-appreciated production. A detailed description of this lot's content is available on our website.
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Content includes: Panel 1 - 8" x 12-1/2" w/#'s 1/2, 3 Herman/4, 11 Ripple (tape repair on back)/12 Lombardi, 13/14, 21/22 Medwick, 23 Reese/24, 31 Ott/32, 33/34 Vaughan, 41 Cooney (missing corner)/42, 43/44 and "half-card" #'s 5, 15, 25, 35, 45; Panel 2 - 8-1/4" x 12-1/2" w/7/8 Walters (tear), 9/10, 17/18, 19/20, 27/28, 29/30, 37/38, 39 Mize/40 Slaughter, 47/48, 49/50 and "half-card" #'s 6 Vander Meer (torn corner, tape on back), 16 P. Waner, 26, 36, 46 May (reattached corner); Panel 3 - 6-1/2" x 12-1/2" w/#'s 51/52 Greenberg, 53/54 GehringerGomez/62 Rizzuto, 63 DiMaggio/64, 71/72, 73/74, 81 Williams (creases)/82 Cronin, 83 Gordon/84, 85 GreenbergRuffing, 87/88; Panel 4 - 3-1/8" x 12-1/2" w/#'s 55/56, 65/66 Dickey, 75/76, 89 Ott (edge crease)/90, 91/92; Panel 5 - 6-1/4" x 12-1/2" w/#'s 57 Williams (corner tear)/58, 59 Cronin (crease)/60 Foxx, 67 Gordon/68 Ruffing, 69/70 Appling, 77/78 Feller, 79/80, 93 Young (tape repair on back)/94, 95/96 Walters (tear), 97/98, 99 Mize/100. (tear w/tape repair), 61 (creases)/86