December pickups

[CharleyBrown]

Raw purchase - this one is huge for my collection, as it was the last tough card I needed for the 1947 Bond Bread Jackie Robinson set. Major props to Greg and Jason for helping me secure this one!

To give an idea as to how tough this set is... there are only 3 known complete sets, 2 of which were put together by Donald Spence (who sold one to Thomas Tull).

[KCRfan1]

Congratulations Shaun! That is quite an accomplishment!!!!!

[39special]

Only need 4 more to finish this set.

[Shoebox]

Shaun - Outstanding pick up on such a tough set!

Steve - Nice looking Giants! If I remember right the Mays and Koufax are short prints. Who are the last 4 you need?

[jb67]

Shaun a big time congrats on the Bond Bread Jackie Robinson. You are in rare air with that pickup.

Steve nice pickups with Topps Giants. How long have you been putting this set together?

Here is my one and only December pickup. Tried to go an entire month without a purchase but saw this nicely centered beauty and could not resist.

[brian1961]

Shaun, Congratulations on hunting down this pride of Bengal Tigers! Your last card looks dead-centered to me.

Would you please be so kind to share with us who hunger for information on what you know about this set?

A. How they were issued?

B. What was the distribution region for this rare regional?

C. What years they seemed to have been issued?

D. For the benefit of the uninformed, please relate to us the story of how the Bond Bread Company used the "common" portrait card, and why it is somewhat common today.

E. Any other savory tidbits that are not generally known?

Please come to the head of the class, Shaun. Your pupils are sitting at their computers eagerly awaiting with rapt attention for your responses.

---Brian Powell

[CharleyBrown]

Originally Posted by brian1961

Shaun, Congratulations on hunting down this pride of Bengal Tigers! Your last card looks dead-centered to me.

Would you please be so kind to share with us who hunger for information on what you know about this set?

A. How they were issued?

B. What was the distribution region for this rare regional?

C. What years they seemed to have been issued?

D. For the benefit of the uninformed, please relate to us the story of how the Bond Bread Company used the "common" portrait card, and why it is somewhat common today.

E. Any other savory tidbits that are not generally known?

Please come to the head of the class, Shaun. Your pupils are sitting at their computers eagerly awaiting with rapt attention for your responses.

---Brian Powell

Brian, I'd be happy to give a little more info on the set. IMO, it's one of the most under-appreciated Post-War sets out there, and the overall difficulty level for completing the set is insanely high. I know of multiple individuals that have spent the better part of a decade attempting to complete the set without luck.

As I mentioned, even Spence needed 6 years to complete his first set (an that being with a larger bankroll than most of us).

There is still much to be known about the set. I did a bit of research with the help of Mike (71buc) and some other Net54 members last year. With my set nearing completion, I hope to finish my research this year.

A) As for how they were issued, there are two theories. The first is that they were issued in packages of bread. The second is that they were given to grocery stores to be distributed as promotional items, perhaps with the purchase of Bond Bread or affiliated products.

B) I believe that the distribution region extended beyond NYC as was originally thought. In my research, I found reference to the cards / Jackie's endorsement in multiple newspapers targeting the African-American community, including Baltimore and Pittsburgh. It should also be noted that I have communicated with various individuals who received the cards from their parents / grandparents after they passed, each of which believed their parents / grandparents to be the original owners. These individuals were from North Carolina, and New Orleans. As such, I have to believe that the distribution went well beyond NYC, and rather targeted African-American communities throughout the East Coast and Mideast.

C) For years, it was assumed that the cards were distributed only in 1947. However, Mike and I found evidence that that simply is not the case. Instead, we believe that they were issued in segments between 1947 and 1949 (or 1950). The Portrait was likely the test card and easily the most widely distributed. I believe the backs of the other cards are the best indicator we have regarding when each of the other cards were issued.

D) As mentioned previously, the portrait (facsimile sig) was more than likely the "litmus test" to determine how effective the cards would be in promoting the product. It is believed that they were given to bread deliverymen, and grocery store owners to be distributed to the general public to promote Bond Bread products to the African-American community. I believe that the card was distributed in October of 1947, likely just after the World Series. I believe it was the most widely distributed of the bunch, and that is why there are more available today.

E) I posted this thread about the set last year, and I will likely add to it at some point this year: http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=171169

2 other tidbits:

1) It wasn't until the 80s or 90s I believe that it was discovered that there were actually 13 cards in the set. (It was initially believed that there were between 10 and 12).

2) A few of the original photos used for the cards depict Robinson in a Montreal uniform. As such, it is a great example of photo-editing techniques in the late 40s.

All that being said, the sheer difficulty of the set makes it somewhat under-appreciated, as it takes a lot of time and patience to put the set together. It certainly takes more than a large bank account to complete the set, and I guess that is what makes it so alluring to me.

Thanks for asking again and giving me the opportunity to share what I know!

Shaun

[brian1961]

Shaun,

First off, I sincerely apologize for not commenting until today. I "was called away from my computer desk" to do some serious shopping with my wife and son. Anyways, I was so looking forward to your responses. My friend, you sure gave us a wonderful dissertation on this magnificent set.

Your "B" is stunning. Targeting African-American communities nationwide truly makes sense, as this was a major step which represented and greatly interested African-Americans throughout the USA. Thus, wherever Bond's distribution regions coincided with Black communities, those cards could have been given out.

Just a comment to substantiate "A": I was a student at Ball State University when the gorgeous 1977 Wonder Bread Stars Wars set was released. As this was the bread used by the dorm cafeteria, I had access to the loaves lying out to makes sandwiches. The Star Wars free prize card was lying in the poly bag with the bread. I helped myself to many a card while preparing peanut butter and honey sandwiches for lunch. My point is that the oil from the Wonder Bread would absorb into the card from the time it was packaged at the bakery, until the moment the consumer got to claim his free prize. Now, my memory on this next particular point is not as sharp, but can you verify this Shaun-----I DON'T SEEM TO RECALL ANY OF OUR SUBJECT LATE 40S BOND BREAD REGIONAL JACKIE ROBINSON CARDS BEING STAINED BY BREAD OIL, AND THEREFORE SUBJUGATED WITH THE DREADED QUALIFYER OF "ST".

USING SHERLOCK HOLMES ANALYSIS AND DEDUCTION, IF YOU CAN CONFIRM THE ABSENCE OF STAINED CARDS, THEN I WOULD DEDUCE YOUR "A" EITHER / OR ANSWER POINTS TO YOUR SECOND CHOICE----THE CARDS WERE GIVEN TO BREAD DELIVERYMEN, GROCERY STORE OWNERS, AND THEN FINALLY LOCATED AT THE CHECK-OUT STATION, WHEREUPON A CUSTOMER WOULD BE PRESENTED WITH A BOND BREAD JACKIE ROBINSON CARD WHEN THEY PURCHASED BOND BREAD.

[CharleyBrown]

Originally Posted by jb67

Shaun a big time congrats on the Bond Bread Jackie Robinson. You are in rare air with that pickup.

Steve nice pickups with Topps Giants. How long have you been putting this set together?

Here is my one and only December pickup. Tried to go an entire month without a purchase but saw this nicely centered beauty and could not resist.

Beautiful centering on that Mays!

[39special]

Originally Posted by Shoebox

Shaun - Outstanding pick up on such a tough set!

Steve - Nice looking Giants! If I remember right the Mays and Koufax are short prints. Who are the last 4 you need?

Thanks guys.The last 4 I need are Dick Stuart,Wayne Causey,Galen Cisco and Bill Skowron.
I started putting it together about 6 months ago.

[71buc]

Originally Posted by CharleyBrown

Raw purchase - this one is huge for my collection, as it was the last tough card I needed for the 1947 Bond Bread Jackie Robinson set. Major props to Greg and Jason for helping me secure this one!

To give an idea as to how tough this set is... there are only 3 known complete sets, 2 of which were put together by Donald Spence (who sold one to Thomas Tull).

Kudos to you Shaun, being aware of your passion for this set and your admiration of Jackie Robinson I know how thrilled you must be accomplishing this quest.