The most unique-looking lot from the "Yahtzee Box Find" has to be this large collection of 1910-11 S74 White Silks. The only non-candy issue in the find, these satin-like "cards" were distributed as premium inserts in various American Tobacco Company products, coming primarily in two styles: "White" (sometimes identified as S74-1) and "Colored" (S74-2). White Silks measure 1-7/8" by 3" and initially came with paper backings advertising one of the four ATC brands (Old Mill, Turkey Red, Helmar and Red Sun). These paper backs are usually missing from their silk counterparts, as is the case here, due to separation from age. Colored Silks measure 1-7/8" by 3-1/2" were issued without no backings, instead showing printed ads at the bottom. Featuring the same player portrait images used in the T205 Gold Border set, the White checklist consists of 92 different players as opposed to 122 in the Colored set.
A total of 54 White Silks are presented here, 35 of which have been carefully sewn to large square cloth. In our posted image, 18 of the singles (not sewn to cloth) are laid out on the far left (the first three in each of the six row), while one -- Harry McIntire UER -- appears on the bottom right of the layout. Hall of Famers include Ed Delanty (top row, 3rd from left), Chief Bender (4th row, 4th from left), and two Roger Bresnahan (1--top row, 3rd from right; 2--3rd row, far right). Other notables include two Hal Chase (1--4th row, 3rd from left; 2--bottom row, 3rd from right), two Deacon Phillippe (1--3rd row, fourth from right; 2--bottom row, 2nd from right), N.Y. Giants "goats" Fred Merkle and Fred Snodgrass, Frank Schulte, Ed Konetchy, Kid Elberfield, Ed Reulbach, Jack Quinn, Doc Crandall, Terry "Cotton Top" Turner, Orval Overall, Topsy Hartsel, Steve Evans, Amby McConnell, Lee Tannehill, Fred Parent, Al Bridwell, Barney Pelty, John Flynn, Bobby Byrne, Art Wilson, Johnny Bates, Tony Smith, Art Devlin, Rebel Oakes, (3) Harry Wolter, (3) John Titus, (3) George Bell, (2) David Shean, (2) Fred Payne UER, (2) Cy Barger, (2) Beals Becker, (2) Charlie Hemphill, and (2) Peaches Graham.
Overall, the Silks present in FR to VG condition. Aside from the heavy fraying or staple holes, they are very well-preserved after 110 years of aging. The images remain crisp and clear on the fabric. We are unsure why 19 are left unsewn. Either they got separated from the cloth backing some time ago or were never sewn on to begin with.