The John D Wagner Hobby Letters - 1930s on...

[trdcrdkid]

Here's my best shot at a transcription:

Austin, Texas
3-27-39

Mr. Wagner

Yours of March 20th came while I was out of town. I am glad to hear from you again. You did not mention that book of yours I still have so I am inclosing my check for $5.00 for it, as I figure you are weaned away from it by now. If this check sticks to your fingers, then I'll know everything is agreeable.

Yes I need several of the Generals and inclose a list of them I need. Please send me all you can.

Now I can use some duplicates too as I have located a couple of fellows who will swap with me for some they need. Also I have had an enquiry for cigarette pictures such as those you sent me on approval - which I kept for several weeks then returned to you. Now just bundle up a lot of stuff and send it on to me - all you want to send. I will immediately pay you for the booklets I need but please let me have the other items you may send - even duplicate booklets of Generals or the Poor Boy or Actor series or what ever title they're known by. (Poor boys who became famous - booklets!) You pick each item or set of items as you did before, and if you can get that party to turn loose the bunch of 25 you spoke of - let me know what these will cost and I'll see if I can handle 'em. I am still pepped up about these little booklets. Send me another bundle of all items you can send. The cards or pictures - I wish you'd give me at least 30 days time on, in order to have time for me to find out if my party can use any of it. I personally am not warmed up to the pictures as far.

I like your point of view in regards to parties who are ignorant of real values, yet imagine some scandalous prices are paid, yet some parties would not give 1/20 of what they ask. But no use fooling with such birds, any way; it takes some of the kick out of collecting. All collectors like to get what they think is a bargain - that's the fun of it.

I am always glad to hear from you and am happy to know you are thinking of me. What else do you have? I run into lots of collectors traveling around Texas: such as book collectors, stamp collectors, arrow head collectors, guns, glass in fact the whole run of 'em. Speaking of stamps - right now a fellow wrote me to get him some #33 U.S. 3c unperforate or covers. Got any?

Sincerely,
Frank Caldwell
108 East 17th
Austin, Texas

[Leon]

Thanks David!!

a few more..

[Leon]

Time for a few more. And my suspicion is that the anonymous collector in Syracuse was probably Ole Jefferson Burdick himself.

[gnaz01]

Originally Posted by Leon

And my suspicion is that the anonymous collector in Syracuse was probably Ole Jefferson Burdick himself.

I'd bet money on it.......

[Leon]

Some more...

[Leon]

I thought the reference to T210 Orange borders was interesting. I guess they have always been collected that way and not only in our crazy minutiae ways of collecting today.

[trdcrdkid]

Leon, I for one love these letters. Keep 'em coming! The writer of this last one, Bob Wilson, was one of the seven attendees at the gathering of collectors at Lionel Carter's house 11 years later in 1958, which I wrote about here: http://net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=227505