Preface
This image gallery shows 1920-21 strip cards produced by Universal Toy & Novelty Co. of Illinois, 70 in all, covering sport and non-sport subjects. Universal printed each group of 10 cards (#1-10, 11-20, etc.) as an intact strip that kids would cut into individual cards.
Its checklist supports a two year release (1920 and 1921) due to the presence of Olive Thomas, who died in September 1920, and a later strip dedicated to Chaplin's 1921 movie "The Kid." These subjects appear to be one set because they share important elements.
- Name & number lettering in same hand as Universal's paper toy products (last image shows paper toy writing and Universal's logo)
- Good image and color clarity when print registration is well-aligned
- Missing © or license attribution seen on similar sets of this era
- Lack of specifics beyond card number and name (no baseball team, movie name, etc.)
- Similar rarity of subjects
Some of these images appear in other sets printed by Universal with differing designs. This particular set of multiple subjects appears to be a single unified group. I assembled this gallery, in part, to demonstrate what appears to be W522 baseball's place in a larger set of multiple subjects. Its cousin, W520 baseball, also appears to be part of a multi-subject set made by Universal and will get a separate gallery.
Due to scarcity, a few cards are unknown, some scans are low-quality, and one numbered group, #21-30, remains unidentified. I welcome your help filling in these gaps!
#1-20 are Hollywood actors
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