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Actress Silks
Distributed concurrently with the baseball S74 Silks were actress silks. Below are two actresses. Two noticeable differences with the S-74-1 White actresses silks is that the fraying happens on the sides only not the top and bottom . The back paper is different, containing specks of color and the word Baseball has a space in the middle. Colored silks were also offered of actresses and are quite similar to the baseball counterparts.
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The Times Democrat Newspaper Ads
May 13th, 1911
May 20th, 1911
Recommended Re-Use
As discussed, American Tobacco was using the silks as an enticement to encourage women smokers by suggesting the insert was ideal for pillows and fancy items. Certainly in 1911 that approach would not have been for men. Below is an example of a small blanket made from a variety of silks sewn together, including 2 baseball players.
Another example is silks sewn into a pillow. Note the white silk of Hall Of Famer Eddie Collins next to an unknown actress, with what appear to be tobacco stains.
Apparently the 1911 breakup of American Tobacco essentially put an end to both the White and colored silks, making them a unique, 1-year item that are rare and highly collectible.
Helmar S-81 & T3
In 1912 Helmar - the rarest of all the S74 Silks - began to distribute larger silks called S81's. Similar in material and weave to S74 Silks, Helmar also distributed larger cards often referred to as T3, Turkey Reds, along with images printed on Leather called L1's
Most but not all the images were identical across the 3 issues in most cases. One interesting exception pictured below is a silk of Home Run Baker that strayed from the image used in the Turkey Red Set. Home Run Baker, who appears as "Jack Barry" in the T3 set has a classic pose with a colorful Athletics Sweater in the large S81 Silks. Helmar produced some great looking advertising pieces like the one below featuring a Leather, T3 card and an S81 silk
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Helmar S-110
Finally, Helmar also released two separate pillow cases that are considered related to the S74 Silks: the S110. The only difference between the two Pillow Cases is the upper left player. One has Marty O’Tolle, the other Walter Johnson . Both the S81 Silks and S110's were distributed one year after the S74 Silks in 1912, and are highly collectible, and very desirable.
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