c1909 Cigar Box w/Black Baseball Team Photo
 

I was doing some e-bay searches tonight looking for any significant Negro League or Cuban League items that had sold over the past couple of months. Much to my amazement, I came across the following listing:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Top-Stone-C...p2047675.l2557

Looks like a really cool piece, assuming that it is legitimate. Has anyone ever seen a team photo, white or black, that was produced as advertising for a cigar company and affixed to one of their boxes? I have seen many individual players but not a team like this, especially not African American. Could it simply be a team photo that someone just attached to the cigar box later on? If so, probably not a smart move as it sold for much less than a regular photo of that team would have brought.

Thoughts?

I vote fake. It was sold again three weeks later for $100 less...perhaps mailed out and returned?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Top-Stone-C...EAAOSwvRtbs9xd

Also why is the advertising on the photo a different cigar? The box appears 1950s or newer and the photos is supposed to be from 1909.

Also of note is Top Stone Cigar company was a Connecticut company and not Minneapolis.

Nope.

Phil, I saw that auction on ebay and did some light research at the time. As I recall, I could not make any connection with that team or their location with that cigar company. There were several red flags. I concluded it was a fantasy piece.

Rob M

Definitely looked fake to me as well.

Thanks, guys, thought that might be the case. Falls under the category of “if it looks too good to be true, it probably is”

I collect Minnesota pieces and did the same research as I’m sure most of you had done. I wanted it to be real, but everything I looked in to led me to believe it was no good. I agree it was most likely purchased and returned.

I wonder if the photo is real, but glued to a newer cigar box?

There just isn't enough detail in the pictures to tell.

Same thoughts as Steve. I too saw this listing and I assumed it was a photo glued to a random box. My interest was entirely in the photo, which I think is really cool if real - but I couldn't decide based on the poor pics.