The A Cards

"Black and white views on a rough quality paper" (Faulkner 1977)--in fact, some, like A6044, below, are colored views more resembling the famous 'G' line. Many of the 'A' cards may be printed from the plates Rotograph purchased from National Art Views. These cards are not gaudy or impressionistic, but are prized by many collectors for the precision in which they render turn-of-the-century scenes including early buildings, trolleys, trains, street markets or market streets, bridges, and street lighting of the day. All three of these are fine historical records, with A5999 being like a page out of a newspaper of the day.

A74a New York Metropolitan Opera

A5999 Sixth Street Bridge, Pittsburgh, PA

A6044 First Ladies' Seminary, Bethlehem, PA

A7033b The Mall and Park St. Church, Boston

Sub-groups. Not all cards bearing the A prefix are views. I have not yet found evidence of these numbers overlapping (for example an A103 view and an A 103 portrait), so apparently Rotograph kept a consecutive numbering system, intermixing topics. As we build the List page on this site, we will know. Please send scans or comments. Meantime I am illustrating the cards separately here but interfiling them on the text list.

A Portraits. In this group are (at least) portraits of presidents, actors, and writers. Some are RP, some BW lithography. Backs are plain with a small, simple font. The Roosevelt portrait, below, bears a 1903 copyright for the photograph, though the card was not issued that year. Given the low series number and the photo copyright, it is probably a very early Rotograph issue.

A 2 Roosevelt Family

A 212 "A Type of French Beauty"

For P.A. or Panoramic Cards, Type A, see that page.