Collectors who admire the artwork and aesthetic beauty of the landmark 1909-11 T206 set would be well served to collect the 1911 T3 Turkey Red set. This set of 100 cabinet sized (5 ¾ x 8) cards features 25 of the most popular Hall of Famers of the era, and is filled with stars and fan favorites. The set is widely accepted to feature some of the finest artwork to ever appear on a card, and the 10 offered examples, recently acquired from the Volunteer Collection, clearly show why.
Among the players we are pleased to offer are Hall of Famers Addie Joss and Bobby Wallace. Joss, pictured during the year of his untimely death, was one of the most talented and popular players in the game. On this PSA 2.5 example of his T3, the tragic figure of Joss is captured in front of the grandstands among a setting sky. Bobby Wallace was one of the best shortstops of the deadball era, who would be much more appreciated today if not for the fact he was stuck on the underwhelming St. Louis Browns. His T3 captures him with a bat, ready in the on deck circle, and this example is graded a PSA 2.5 GOOD+, and features a Turkey Red advertisement back.
One of the most infamous players to ever take the field was Hal Chase, 'Prince Hal'. Hal served as captain of the New York Highlanders, the franchise that would eventually become known as the Yankees. He was widely considered to be the best first baseman of the era, and if not for his association with criminals and gamblers, and his alleged role in the fixing of the games, he would surely be in the Hall of Fame. The T3 example we are proud to offer is graded PSA 4 VG/EX, and shows the famed first sacker primed to throw.
The most beautiful of the Turkey Reds are the horizontal action poses, and offered among this collection is 'Jordan & Herzog At First'. The cabinet shows a close play at first base with Buck Herzog of the New York Giants attempting to beat the throw to Brooklyn first baseman Tim Jordan, and is graded a 2.5 GOOD+. One of the more interesting cabinets is that of third baseman Harry Lord, who is listed as being with both Chicago and Boston, representing a mid-season trade that occurred in 1910. The Lord is graded a PSA 2, and captures the vibrant red color that the Boston Red Sox franchise had recently adopted.
Pitcher Harry Coveleski - the brother of Hall of Famer Stan Coveleski - is shown as a member of the Cincinnati Reds with a Turkey Red ad back and a grade of PSA 4. Featured on PSA 3.5 VG+ Turkey Red ad back cabinet is Coveleski's Reds battery mate Art Fromme, who is spectacularly captured after having just hurled a pitch with a full grandstand in the background.
Ira Thomas was the catcher on the era's great Philadelphia Athletics team and was on both the 1910 and '11 World Championship teams, and is posed ready to catch the ball on this PSA 4 example with a Turkey Red ad back. Detroit Tigers outfielder Matty McIntyre, who played next to Ty Cobb in the 1908 and '09 World Series, is shown snagging a fly ball on his PSA 3 VG cabinet. Finally, St. Louis Browns outfielder George Stone is shown rounding the bases on his PSA 4 VG/EX Turkey Red ad back.
In 1911 a fan could acquire ten of these Turkey Red cabinets for only ten cents. More than a century later it is safe to say a spirited collector would have to gather a large assembly of dimes to acquire this ten card grouping. However, it would be money well spent, as these large sized premiums are unquestionably some of the finest images to ever appear upon a trading card.