"The Arena" Publishing Corp. - c. 1930 Boxing Premiums
 

I commented on this in my Auction thread, but I decided to post a separate thread here for archival/research purposes, that anybody else who has run across these can possibly add to the checklist of known examples/variations.

Ok, I believe I have figured out a mystery that has been eluding me for about 15 years or so. I'd had a couple packets of Group 1 sets, and several loose singles from a random collection I picked up at least 15 years ago or so.

Looking back in my records, it looks like I sold one of the "Group 1" sets back in 2007.....probably for not very much.

This week I posted what I believe was a complete Group 1 set of premiums on Ebay, and offered them out as singles.

I listed these not really expecting much interest because they seemed to be an un-identified issue, and are a bit primitive looking.

Got more interest then I expected (granted this is boxing, so still nothing like if this was an unknown baseball issue), it piqued my curiosity and got my brain going a bit more on it.

The address on the envelope packet originated out of Philadelphia. This seems to be the type of set that might have been given away as part of a promotion. If they were sold, I doubt it would have been for much, as the quality was more supplement/insert type, and not really of photographic quality.

Then I thought of publications this might have been attached to, that existed during that time period. Ring Magazine, Self-Defense, Boxing Blade, Referee...............none of those locations matched.

Then I thought of "The Arena". An attractive publication of the era, that tended to focus on Boxing and Wrestling, but also threw in a fair share of Baseball, Football, Physical Culture and other various sports.

Opened up the first page of the first issue I was able to dig up, and right there in the table of contents was the exact address listed on the mailing envelope for these premiums. I haven't found the ad these originated from yet, but this is definitely solid evidence this is where they came from.

More to come.

There must be at least 3 series of these out there, but the only one I can dig up evidence for is this "Group 3" of Barbados Joe Walcott I found in my files.

Fantastic sleuthing. Saves me some work. They will go into the next edition of the catalog in the "M" section.

Group 1 Checklist

TOMMY LOUGHRAN
FRANKIE GENARO
MAXIE ROSENBLOOM (Note - Known examples do not have a "Group 1" designation on it. Likely a printing oversight)
JACK SHARKEY
JACK KID BERG
BENNY BASS
MICKEY WALKER
PANAMA AL BROWN
TONY CANZONERI
YOUNG CORBETT III
VINCE DUNDEE
PRIMO CARNERA
BATTLING BATTALINO
MIDGET WOLGAST
YOUNG JACK THOMPSON
YOUNG STRIBLING
AL SINGER
MAX SCHMELING
JIMMY McLARNIN
FIDEL LaBARBA
BILLY PETROLLE
WILLIAM GORILLA JONES
BEN JEBY
GEORGE GODFREY
KID CHOCOLATE




UNKNOWN



Group 3 Checklist

"BARDABOS" JOE WALCOTT
Rest Unknown