Lot # 490: 1912 L1 Large Leather Premium #120 Frank "Home Run" Baker

Rarely offered L1 Leather tobacco premium of Philadelphia Athletics Hall of Famer Frank "Home Run" Baker. L1 Leathers were issued as part of the same promotion as T3 Turkey Reds and S81 Silks. All three of these issues were available only by mail in exchange for coupons packaged with Helmar "Turkish Trophies" brand tobacco. Ten coupons were needed to get a T3, twenty-five coupons for an S81 silk, and fifty coupons were required to obtain each L1 Leather. The L1 Leathers are by far the rarest of these three classic tobacco-premium issues. Baker is one of the keys to the set, of special importance both because Baker is a Hall of Famer and also because this is one of the few designs in the L1 set that does not appear in the related T3 Turkey Red baseball cabinet card series. (Note: a card with different artwork appears in T3, which is identified as Frank Baker, but this identification is in error and actually pictures Jack Barry.) The offered leather is technically in modest condition due to moderate creasing, two tack holes at the top, and small pieces missing on the upper left and upper right (which does not affect the striking image). Despite the condition flaws, this is an extremely pleasing Hall of Famer example from this rare and desirable tobacco-premium issue that would be a significant addition to any extremely advanced Frank Baker or prewar-card collection.