It's been quite awhile since I wrote a post for the 30-Day Baseball Card Challenge. Going in order, today should be Day #23. So what's the prompt?
I now remember why I stopped doing these posts! Days 23 - 27 are all oddball related posts. I could probably find something for days 26 and 27, but I basically don't own anything oddball related from the 1950s, 60s, or 70s. In fact, for most of those years, I barely own any "normal" cards! In my collection, if a card is from the 1950s, it is an oddball!
Since I do want this post to feature some sort of old oddball, I'm going to repurpose the Challenge topic and change it to:
Now that I can do!
You see, for a year or two, I went a little crazy trying to pick up super old original Allen & Ginter cards. Most of that time was spent trying to acquire the entire 1889 set 50 Fish from American Waters set (which I've almost completed). However, when buying those cards I'd often look to see what else the seller had available...and in the process, I ended up with a few "random" or, to use today's word, "oddball" original Ginter cards. Of the eight non-fish original Allen & Ginter cards that I own, I figured I'd show off two of my favorites.
First up, Louise Montague, the "$10,000 beauty."
As you can see, you can't be too worried about condition when dealing with such old cards (especially if you are on a budget like I am)! The pretty lady is from "The World's Beauties" set. For me, Louise is an "oddball" in that she is the only person featured on an original Allen & Ginter card that I own. All of my other cards feature animals (with one exception of a building).
Speaking of animals, here is my other favorite (non-fish) Allen & Ginter original:
That's an Indian Rhinoceros from the Wild Animals of the World set. I happen to think the drawing (painting?) on this card is pretty cool. It's minimalistic, and yet, evocative of the rhino's home land.
Good stuff all around - and this new prompt was a fun excuse to go back and look through my super old Allen & Ginter cards!
Day 23: A favorite oddball card from the 1950s.
I now remember why I stopped doing these posts! Days 23 - 27 are all oddball related posts. I could probably find something for days 26 and 27, but I basically don't own anything oddball related from the 1950s, 60s, or 70s. In fact, for most of those years, I barely own any "normal" cards! In my collection, if a card is from the 1950s, it is an oddball!
Since I do want this post to feature some sort of old oddball, I'm going to repurpose the Challenge topic and change it to:
Day 23: A favorite oddball card from prior to 1960.
Now that I can do!
You see, for a year or two, I went a little crazy trying to pick up super old original Allen & Ginter cards. Most of that time was spent trying to acquire the entire 1889 set 50 Fish from American Waters set (which I've almost completed). However, when buying those cards I'd often look to see what else the seller had available...and in the process, I ended up with a few "random" or, to use today's word, "oddball" original Ginter cards. Of the eight non-fish original Allen & Ginter cards that I own, I figured I'd show off two of my favorites.
First up, Louise Montague, the "$10,000 beauty."
As you can see, you can't be too worried about condition when dealing with such old cards (especially if you are on a budget like I am)! The pretty lady is from "The World's Beauties" set. For me, Louise is an "oddball" in that she is the only person featured on an original Allen & Ginter card that I own. All of my other cards feature animals (with one exception of a building).
Speaking of animals, here is my other favorite (non-fish) Allen & Ginter original:
That's an Indian Rhinoceros from the Wild Animals of the World set. I happen to think the drawing (painting?) on this card is pretty cool. It's minimalistic, and yet, evocative of the rhino's home land.
Good stuff all around - and this new prompt was a fun excuse to go back and look through my super old Allen & Ginter cards!
I'd love to see the other six that didn't make the cut for this post!
ReplyDeleteI got curious about Louise Montague, and here's what I found...
ReplyDeleteThe Wikipedia page for Adam Forepaugh, "entrepreneur, businessman and circus owner", had this listed under the heading "Innovations":
In search of new talent, he sponsored a $10,000 beauty contest in 1881, looking for the "most beautiful woman in America". The winner was Louise Montague, a 21-year-old New York City actress blessed with a "charming blue eye" and "... magnificent teeth, which she shows to advantage in conversation". Many believe this was the first "beauty pageant" in America.
I've seen enough other references to this in other places that it seems like wikipedia's got it down.
Also...
Jefferson Burdick's copy of this card is featured on the website of the Metropolitan Museum Of Art:
http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/410027
One can buy an oversized print of this card from walmart.com among other sites:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Louise-Montague-The-10-000-Beauty-from-Worlds-Beauties-Series-1-N26-for-Allen-Ginter-Cigarettes-Poster-Print-18-x-24/186871815