(LOT 36)
"Ultra-Scarce" 1905 Souvenir Post Card Shop - Cleveland Naps Team Composite Real Photo Postcard (SGC 1) – One of Only 9 SGC Encapsulated Examples!
This extremely rare 1905 Cleveland Naps team composite real-photo postcard was issued by the Souvenir Post Card Shop and has been graded an SGC 1 due to its postal cancellation stamps and written notations on both the front and back. Otherwise, the Cleveland Naps team composite sepia image is absolutely breathtaking, with the 20 players including Hall of Famers Napoleon Lajoie, Addie Joss and Elmer Flick. Only a few starry wrinkles are evident on this sepia-toned marvel and a relatively large Lajoie image graces the center of the card with Joss situated directly to Lajoie's lower right and Flick residing directly above the star second sacker.

Most significantly, the same Charles Conlon Lajoie and Joss portrait illustrations were used for their W600 Sporting Life Cabinets, E107 Breisch-Williams, T206 portrait subjects and M116 issues. The empty space beneath the image that was intended for a written message has been utilized and boldly reads in black fountain pen: "I thought you would like their pictures." A factory issued "CLEVELAND 1905" caption is situated across the top (directly above Flick's image) and the verso reveals a September 12, 1905 postmark, 1-cent Benjamin Franklin cancelled postal stamp and a scripted notation to its intended addressee/recipient. Seldom surfacing for the taking, this ultra-obscure offering turns back the clock to the "turn of the 20th century" era when both Lajoie and Joss were placing their indelible marks on America's Pastime as being among the finest players at their respective positions!

MIN BID $500
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