Tom Sawyer Clothing Football Blotter

Posted on October 2, 2016 by Pre-War Cards

‘It’s In The Details’

Title	Tom Sawyer Clothing Football Blotter
Year	1920s or 1930s
Size	3 5/8″ x 7 15/16″
Images	Two-Color
Type	Blotter
Number in Set	1

Tom Sawyer Clothing Football Blotter Overview

Tom Sawyer 1920s-1930s Football Blotter.jpg Ink blotters were generally rectangular cards that were popular in the days of fountain pens. They would usually be kept on desks and were used to allow people to wipe off excess ink. To properly absorb the ink, blotters are generally a little thicker and have a different texture than traditional cards.

The slogan on the blotter was, “Play the Game as hard as you like” and it is collectable as a sports issue since the picture shown features children playing a game of football. It is mostly printed in only black ink but the Tom Sawyer logo is in orange as is a portion of the playing field.

This blotter served as an advertisement for Reeds Children’s Shop. Specifically, the blotter advertised the company’s Tom Sawyer washwear for boys . As stated on the blotter, the clothing was sure to make a ‘big hit with your teacher, girlfriend, and the other fellows.”

These blotters are rare and, to date, I have seen only one. The scarcity level makes sense as these would have been limited with a regional focus, likely to only the Auburn, New York area.

While not standard trading cards, blotters with sports figures are absolutely collectible. Because they were used to absorb extra ink, you will often find them with ink spots all over them. Ones that haven’t been covered in ink demand a premium.

Blotters were generally an advertisement for a specific product, service, or organization. Along with a picture of a sports figure or team, they usually sought to promote some type of product or business.