1888 R&S (Rafael/Raphael Tuck and Sons) Die-Cut Set and Checklist

Posted on October 3, 2016 by Pre-War Cards

‘It’s In The Details’

Title	R&S Die-Cuts
Year	1888
Size	Various
Images	Color
Type	Miscellaneous
Number in Set	10

R&S Die-Cuts Overview

The 1888 R&S Die-Cut set included a total of ten different cards of players representing individual teams. While teams are specified, individual players were not making this a somewhat generic issue. They were created by a company called Raphael Tuck and Sons.

It is also believed that these images were used as the cutouts affixed to the N352 cards. Each die-cut included a color picture of a player in a various pose. Backs of the cutouts were completely blank. While some collectors believe these are tobacco or candy cards, they really belong under the Y-Cards header of the American Card Catalog where author Jefferson Burdick grouped die-cuts and scraps.

Note that R&S is an abbreviation of the Raphael Tuck and Sons name. The set is also sometimes spelled as ‘Rafael’ Tuck and Sons but if these were produced by this company, the spelling would be, “Raphael.”

The cards featured players in a variety of poses including both fielding, throwing, and batting. Only one, the card for Boston, featured a player with a bat. All were printed in full color and were standing on top of a patch of grass with their team name at the bottom.

Today, you will mostly find these cards separated and individually. However, they were initially printed with all players attached as one piece. Occasionally you can find them still attached but they will usually sell for a premium.

While the baseball die-cuts are the most popular, Raphael Tuck and Sons created other similar die-cut sets, including one for tennis, as well as others for soccer, rugby, and cricket