From Collins-McCarthy, the company which offered the long run of
Zeenuts cards, this 1917 set now known as E135 offered 200 new subjects.
While the company had been known for producing cards featuring players
of the Pacific Coast League, the E135 set switched
their focus to the National and American Leagues. Produced at a time
when few
sets were being issued, it gave collectors and baseball fans on the West
Coast a look at players they had only read about in the newspapers or
in
the annual Spading guides. While this set shares many photos with the
later E121 set and the much-later E126 issue (both from American
Caramel), this E135 set came first.
Centering is just slightly east on the canvas, with a minor printing error leaving a couple extra streaks of black to the right of the image. Corners and edges are consistent with the grade, while the reverse exhibits some toning and light surface abrasions which keep it from grading even higher. Nevertheless, a scarce example with plenty of eye appeal thanks to a strong pose from the Boston first baseman.
SGC has only ever graded 6 total
examples of this 1917 E135, with only four receiving a higher grade than
the Good+ 2.5 offered here of Del Gainer.