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Offered here is a very rare complete set of five original circa-1880s H804-7 Merchant’s Gargling Oil baseball advertising trade cards.
What makes this set especially rare and extremely nice is that all five cards have the same matching O. F. Rawson & Co. “La Norma” cigar and tobacco advertising back from Worcester, Massachusetts. The backs are clean, fully readable and display beautifully.
A lot of these cards turn up with blank backs, mismatched advertising, heavy paper residue or obvious scrapbook-removal damage. That is not the case here. All five backs match, and the complete advertising remains intact.
All five cards have the same matching O. F. Rawson & Co. “La Norma” advertising back. Individual examples with this advertiser are known, but I have been unable to locate another complete five-card set with all five matching La Norma backs. In 40 years of collecting, I have also never seen this set offered complete with this advertiser.
The complete set includes:
“Something must be done ‘Put it there!’”
“Struck Out”
“A Close Affair. Hugging the Bat.”
“Bravo! The Pet of the Nine.”
“The Hero of a Home Run. The Ladies Favorite.”
The cards advertise Merchant’s Gargling Oil Liniment and were printed by Gies & Co. of Buffalo, New York. Each card retains the full Merchant’s Gargling Oil advertising panel at the bottom, along with the matching La Norma cigar advertisement on the reverse.
These are genuine original antique cards, not reproductions. They are ungraded and are being sold exactly as shown.
Overall, the set presents extremely well for its age. There is expected age-related toning, along with light corner and edge wear, minor surface wear, small spots or areas of discoloration, and slight waviness. Please zoom in and examine every photo carefully for exact condition. The photographs are part of the description, and you will receive the exact five cards shown.
This is a striking complete set with matching cigar advertising backs and would be a great addition to an early baseball, Victorian trade card, patent medicine or tobacco advertising collection.
Each card will be individually protected. The set will be packed securely in a sturdy box and shipped with tracking and insurance. Signature confirmation may be required because of the value.
From a smoke-free, pet-friendly home.
