1916 Tango Eggs

Tango Brand Eggs cards are very similar in design to the 1915 E106 American Caramel set, but with different captions that do not reference Federal League teams since they were issued in 1916. The fronts have a glossy coating similar to E106 and T214 Kotton Tobacco cards. The backs feature advertising for L. Frank & Company's Tango Brand Eggs.
Until recently this set was listed at 20 cards. Since then two additional examples, Eddie Plank and Rebel Oakes, have surfaced bringing the set up to 22 cards (it must be noted that there is some debate as to whether or not the Tinker and Wagner cards exist at all).
At least four of the cards in this set use the images of other players from other sets, as noted in the checklist at the bottom of the page. There are two examples pictured below.
Bescher and Jennings are the least rare of the set although they are still relatively scarce when compared to other pre-war sets. Some cards such as Cobb, Oakes, and Plank are possibly the only existing copies. The contrasting difference in population reports and condition may indicate that certain cards were distributed while others never made it into circulation back in 1916. Many of the cards with higher populations are also in very good condition which could indicate that these cards were never put into circulation. A large number of cards (estimated between 500-700 cards) were introduced into the hobby in the 1990's via a large 'find' of Tango Eggs. There were very few Tango Eggs examples in the hobby prior to this find.
Until recently this set was listed at 20 cards. Since then two additional examples, Eddie Plank and Rebel Oakes, have surfaced bringing the set up to 22 cards (it must be noted that there is some debate as to whether or not the Tinker and Wagner cards exist at all).
At least four of the cards in this set use the images of other players from other sets, as noted in the checklist at the bottom of the page. There are two examples pictured below.
Bescher and Jennings are the least rare of the set although they are still relatively scarce when compared to other pre-war sets. Some cards such as Cobb, Oakes, and Plank are possibly the only existing copies. The contrasting difference in population reports and condition may indicate that certain cards were distributed while others never made it into circulation back in 1916. Many of the cards with higher populations are also in very good condition which could indicate that these cards were never put into circulation. A large number of cards (estimated between 500-700 cards) were introduced into the hobby in the 1990's via a large 'find' of Tango Eggs. There were very few Tango Eggs examples in the hobby prior to this find.
The cards above demonstrate how images of different players from different sets were used for players in the Tango Eggs set.
Set checklist
22 Cards
|
|
* Tinker and Wagner have not been verified and may not exist
Back Stamps
There are two cards that contain a numerical back stamp, Cobb and Oakes. Both of these cards are also the only known example for that player. While it is unclear whether these numbers were some sort of redemption, it can be assumed from condition that both of these cards were distributed.
L. Frank & Company
L. Frank & Company was established in 1892 as a poultry and egg distributor in New Orleans. I was able to find an approximate location of the company in an interview, Meeting Philip "Flip" Frank, by historian Laurel Dorrance in conjunction with ArtEgg Studios. ArtEgg Studios now occupies a building on S. Broad Street that L. Frank & Co. purchased in 1964. In the interview, Philip Frank states that they moved to the building on S. Broad St. from their former location at Poydras and Tchoupitoulas. The Sanborn maps from 1908 and 1940 show buildings at that location labeled "Whol. Poultry".
The block between Poydras, Natchez, Tchoupitoulas, and S. Peters is now the W Hotel New Orleans. This spot has been confirmed by Mr. Philip "Flip" Frank as the previous location of L. Frank & Co.
The block between Poydras, Natchez, Tchoupitoulas, and S. Peters is now the W Hotel New Orleans. This spot has been confirmed by Mr. Philip "Flip" Frank as the previous location of L. Frank & Co.
Special thanks to historian Laurel Dorrance for sharing her notes and interviews regarding L. Frank & Co. (http://www.laureladorrance.com)
Philip Frank, Jr. interview conducted by Laurel Dorrance (December 19, 2012):
Laurel Dorrance —“So that there was no one person who was like, “Well, we’re gonna use a rose and that sort of thing?”
Philip 'Flip' Frank —“No. The thing about the rose that’s the, you bring these things back that I haven’t thought about. Back in the 20s or 30s, we had a brand of egg called the “Tango,” which was the “Tango Eggs,” because the Tango was a popular dance back then, and I actually had some of the little posters that we used back then. And then the Tango went out of fashion and my grandfather, Charles Frank, Sr., said you know, “We need something that’s gonna last,” and he came up with the name “American Beauty.” LD —“Ok.” PFF —“And he was quite a character. Every single day, he wore an American Beauty rose in his lapel. That one picture you see of him there’s an American Beauty rose in his lapel, and that’s sort of how we started with the American Beauty brand and then just continued and again, an easy thing to remember.” LD —“Right, gotcha. I wondered ‘cause I mean I’ve heard of the American Beauty rose and I saw it on the signage, I’m like, “Hmmmm.” PFF —“Yeah, well, that’s where it came from. You know to put the two together. We had trade marks on ‘em. We only had one issue, I think, many years ago. There was a company in St. Louis that had an American Beauty pasta. And they wanted us to stop using American Beauty but I don’t think it went anywhere because we were different geographically and it was a different product and they had never sold pasta under American Beauty in this market. There was several reasons if I remember correctly, it never went anywhere. So we sort of maintained that trade mark. Now when we sold the business to Caro PFG, they weren’t really interested in my opinion, in the retail business. They were more into the food service side, so over the next couple of years and I left the company, they really just lost total interest in the American Beauty family of products in the grocery stores. And it ended up, butter I think today is the only product that’s still available under the American Beauty brand. Whereas at one time, when I was working here, we probably had about 20, 25 different products under that brand.” NOTE: Tango hit America c. 1914/5, crossover in 1921/Valentino |
Article from The Daily Comet by Roger Bourgeois (January 2012)
Remembering: Charles Frank Jr.
An avid outdoorsman and renowned duck carver whose work is on display at a Houma museum passed away Dec. 27. He was 89. Charles W. Frank Jr., a lifelong New Orleans resident, was president of L. Frank & Co., a wholesale butter, poultry and egg corporation, until he retired in 1983, according to the Times-Picayune. He spent his retirement traveling and indulging his passions of hunting, fishing and photography. Charlie, as he was known by friends, was considered a wetlands expert and was a nationally recognized decoy carver. He graduated from Tulane University, earning a degree in chemical engineering. He was a military man, having served in World War II on the battleship New Jersey and 26 years in the Naval Reserve. Charlie married his childhood sweetheart, Jean Hirsch, a New Orleans native, who shared his love of the bayou, hunting, fishing and photography. Their union lasted 68 years. Charlie was also a world traveler, bird watcher, lecturer and writer. He wrote four books on Louisiana carvers and the state's wetland Heritage: “Louisiana Decoys” (1975), “Anatomy of a Waterfowl”(1982), Wetland Heritage” (1985) and “Voices From The Bayou (2003). All are references used by hundreds of decoy carvers and collectors. “Voices From The Bayou” is a compilation of oral histories collected by Charlie beginning in 1975. Charlie helped find the Louisiana Wildfowl Carvers and Collectors Guild and guided that organization for more than 30 years. Locally, Charlie was a member of the South Louisiana Wildfowl Carvers and, in 2001, got the group's lifetime achievement award. Terrebonne Parish awarded him a key to the parish for promoting the works of local carvers. Several museums around the country showcase decoys donated by Frank, including the Terrebonne Folklife Culture Center, 317 Goode St. The museum also hosts a 100-year-old cypress pirogue and photographs donated by Frank and his wife. Roger Bourgeois is president of Bourgeois & Associates in Houma. He was also Charlie's friend and fishing partner. |