1888/1889 N285 Buchner Morning Glory Maidens Set and Checklist

Posted on September 7, 2016 by Pre-War Cards

‘It’s In The Details’

Title	N285 Buchner Morning Glory Maidens
Year	1888 or 1889
Size	1 5/8″ x 2 1/2″
Images	Color
Type	19th Century Tobacco
Number in Set	51

1888/1889 N285 Buchner Morning Glory Maidens Overview

Unlike some other early sepia-toned tobacco issues featuring female athletes such as the N48 or the N508 sets, the N285 set was a full-color set. It is a rare issue featuring various women in assorted poses covering a variety of sports.

The set is really made up of three different subsets of sorts. The first pictures a woman of the month, so to speak. A woman is shown for each month of the year from January through December. A second subset that can be considered is one featuring women in a variety of non-sports poses/occupations. Finally, the sports issues are present.

Headlining the sports cards are women depicting baseball and football players. Other sports include things such as boxing and tennis. While the Harry Beecher card from the N162 Goodwin Champions is considered the first football card, this one was either produced in the same year or immediately afterwards. While it features a generic woman instead of an actual football player, it remains one of the earliest cards depicting that sport.

The baseball card is the key issue in the set. Even in low-grade condition, it usually fetches a few hundred dollars. Here’s more about the baseball card.

The cards feature full color images with the name of the sport or subject on the front. There are three different types of backs in the set. One provides a complete checklist of the set. Two others are similar to each other with some minor differences and provide a special offer by stating that the cards can be redeemed for prizes in the following manner:

100 cards for a pocket book or knife
200 cards for an illustrated book of defenders and offenders
400 cards for a silk umbrella
500 cards for a bronze mantel ornament or a pair of them (a back variation)
600 cards for a bronze clock
1,000 cards for an elegant framed picture of The Landing of Columbus, said to have a value of $20.00 (only offered on one back)

1888/1889 N285 Buchner Morning Glory Maidens Checklist

The cards are unnumbered and presented below in order of the subsets mentioned above.

Ironically, the checklist states ‘Etc., Etc., Etc.’ after the list of cards, leading us to believe there may be more. At least one not listed in the checklist is found in the set. The card is curiously named ‘Diana’ but depicts the sport of archery.

Calendar Girls