COOKING
Back View - Examples

The backs of the cards in this series all have a standard format. They contain only text in a vertical layout, printed in black or a shade of blue. The left half of each card contains the identical "Four Points" message (Type '6') explaining the virtues of Arbuckles' Ariosa Coffee. The right half contains a collection of recipes, and occasionally comments, under the heading "Cooking Notes".

As noted, the text may be printed in black or blue. All cards exist in both colors. However, the black-backed cards have an additional variation. Some of them contain a line of text at the top of the card stating "This is one of a Series of 50 different Subjects on Cooking.", while others have only a blank space in this area (see images below). (All the blue-backed cards I have, or have ever seen, do contain this explanatory line of text.) I have not, thus far, seen any cards of a given number in both black-backed versions, which leads me to believe that only one variety or the other exists for each number. Beneath the two sample images, below, I've noted which card numbers I've identified that do have the descriptor line and which ones do not. (If anyone has a card, or cards, which contradict this breakdown, please let me know!)

I am also aware of one other minor variation for one of the cards in the series. The black-backed version of the Veal (#18) card exists with the text on the reverse of the card oriented in either direction relative to the front of the card. (That is to say, the top edge, when looking at the horizontal front of the card, may be aligned with either the left or right edge, when looking at the vertical back of the card.) (If anyone has run across this sort of variation for any other cards in the series, please let me know!)

The blue-backed cards have large, easily readable numbers at the bottom of the "Cooking Notes" column. The numbers on black-backed cards with the explanatory line are somewhat smaller, but are still generally readable. However, the numbers on the black-backed cards without the explanatory line are downright miniscule and can sometimes be extremely difficult to read without the aid of a magnifying glass.

BLUE TEXT
BLACK TEXT (without explanatory line) Card numbers found with this style: 1-13, 26-33, 35-40, 43, 46	BLACK TEXT (with explanatory line) Card numbers found with this style: 14-25, 34, 41, 42, 44, 45, 47-50