PLEASE NOTE that we have added scans of 36 more cards to the listing for this beautiful near-set on November 17.
Issued between 1909 and 1911 by the American Caramel Co., the card issue we know today as E90-1 is quite possibly the most important and widely-collected of all the caramel issues. In response to the T206 issue's nickname "The Monster," E90-1 collectors on the Net54 Baseball message board have dubbed the E90-1 set "The Kraken," a 120-card set with numerous variations and scarcities resulting from the various years the cards were issued.
Presented here is an exceptional near-set, featuring many of the issue's key cards and variations. All but one of the cards have been graded by SGC, with the single card a PSA 2 Kitty Bransfield "P" on Shirt variation. A condition breakdown of the 105 cards included are as follows: VG/EX: 17%, VG: 34%, GOOD: 19%, FAIR: 12%, POOR: 10%, AUTHENTIC: 8%. The cards largely boast strong eye appeal within the assigned grade, assembled by an experienced collector with a keen eye. Missing for completion are: Bescher, Clarke (Pittsburgh), Cobb, Duffy, Jackson, Joss (Pitching), Karger, Mathewson, Mitchell (Cincinnati), Seigle, Speaker, Stahl, Wagner, Wagner and Young (Cleveland). Several of those cards are available as individual lots in this auction.
SGC VG/EX 4 (18 cards): Chance, Collins, Crawford, G. Davis, Howell (Follow Through), Isbell, Knight, Krause, Lumley, McQuillan, F. Mitchell, Mullin, Oakes, Plank, Richie, Schlitzer, Bill Sweeney, Ira Thomas. SGC VG 3 (36 cards): Baker, Barry, Bender, Blankenship, Bliss, Bresnahan, Bush, Butler, Camnitz, Chase, Corridon, Demmitt, Donlin, Donovan, Dooin, Grant, Howell (Wind-Up), Jordon, Joss (Portrait), Keeler (Throwing), Lajoie, Leach (Batting), Leever, Marquard, McInnes, O'Connor, Pastorius, Schaefer, Shean, Sheckard, Stovall, Jeff Sweeney, J. Tannehill, L. Tannehill, Roy Thomas, Wallace. PSA GOOD 2 (1 card): Bransfield ("P" on Shirt). SGC GOOD 2 (19 Cards): Bailey, Bransfield (No "P" on Shirt), Bridwell, Clarke (Philadelphia), Criger, Dygert, Gray, Hartzell (Batting), Hartzell (Fielding), Irwin, Keeler (Portrait, Red Background), Leach, Lobert, McIntyre, Miller, Stanage, Summers, Unglaub, Willis. SGC FAIR 1.5 (13 cards): Bell, B. Brown, M. Brown, Clement, H. Davis, Engle, Graham, Groom, Heitmuller, Jennings, Phelps, Upp, Young (Boston), SGC POOR 1 (10 cards): P. Dougherty, Ellis, Fromme, Gibson (Back View), Gibson (Front View), Overall, Stone (Left Hand), Tenney, Walsh, Wiltse; SGC A (8 Cards): Bemis, Bradley, Hall, Keeler (Portrait, Pink Background), McLean, O'Leary, Stone (No Hands), Tinker.
An outstanding collection, a nearly-complete grouping of one of the most popular and widely-collected of all the caramel issues. 105 cards total.