Whatever happened to these long-time dealers?

[akleinb611]

Okay, here are a couple of early dealers, both of whom I know are long gone from the hobby. I'm curious about their current whereabouts.

Bruce Yeko - any collector over the age of fifty (okay, sixty!) will be familiar with his name. He ran an outfit called Wholesale Cards, located in Connecticut. Yeko was THE dealer of the Sixties and Seventies. He took over the inventory of dealer Marshall Oreck (who was a member of the family behind the vacuum cleaner empire!) and published the best card dealer catalog of that era. A very good argument can be made that Yeko, rather than Woody Gelman or Larry Fritsch, was the most important dealer of that generation. Not only did he have complete runs of all Topps and Bowman sets available, but many of the rare 1950's and 1960's regional issues all came from his holdings. If you own a mint 1960 Lake to Lake Dairy Milwaukee Braves card, it came from Wholesale Cards. Yeko faded out of the hobby in the early Eighties and took up a second career, recording original cast albums of Broadway musicals whose runs were too short for an "official" album release. As of ten or fifteen years ago, he was still involved with this. Anyone have an update for him?

Second - Bruce and Scott Oran, two brothers who specialized in selling Topps and Bowman commons of the Fifties and Sixties. I filled in many a set buying from them. They operated during the golden age when Mantle, Mays or Musial might cost a bit extra, but anyone else was a common. Some of their ads can be found in the TCMA flyers of the Seventies, but again, I think they moved to Florida just around the time the hobby really took off in 1980. Anyone know anything about them?

[Kutcher55]

Trying to remember a couple of dealers from the Boston area that were regulars at the Rootin Tootin Newton show in the late 80s. One was named Ronnie last name I want to say Marconi. The other one’s name was Marv. He always had the nicest sharpest vintage stuff at high prices but it was high quality. Does this ring a bell with anyone?

[Donscards]

Originally Posted by Kutcher55

Trying to remember a couple of dealers from the Boston area that were regulars at the Rootin Tootin Newton show in the late 80s. One was named Ronnie last name I want to say Marconi. The other one’s name was Marv. He always had the nicest sharpest vintage stuff at high prices but it was high quality. Does this ring a bell with anyone?

I believe you are thinking of Marvin Kraut--he did have great vintage cards--I last saw him at Brimfield flea market maybe 15 years ago--he hasnt been on show circuit in like 20 plus years.

[Kutcher55]

Originally Posted by Donscards

I believe you are thinking of Marvin Kraut--he did have great vintage cards--I last saw him at Brimfield flea market maybe 15 years ago--he hasnt been on show circuit in like 20 plus years.

That sounds correct. Thank you, Don.

[akleinb611]

http://www.net54baseball.com/attachm...hmentid=621404

That's the catalogue! In the days before the Beckett books and other published sources, a catalogue like this would be the only way a collector could see cards from before his time!

[DHogan]

There was a shop in Arlington Mass. Hall's Nostalgia. They also did small shows at the Holiday Inn in Peabody Mass. Along with their small live auctions at the Knights of Columbus in Arlington Mass. Then there were the Rose brothers who promoted the shows at the Boston College High School in Sout Boston. That was always a great show.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by DHogan

There was a shop in Arlington Mass. Hall's Nostalgia.

As a grade schooler and Red Sox fan growing up in Canada, I was in awe of the Halls' ads in the trade rags of the time. So much incredible stuff; lots of oddball/regional Red Sox pieces, too.

It was an absolute thrill to visit their store a million years ago. I was all of 10 years old and on a vacation. Even though it was so long ago, I still don't know how I snagged T206 Chase (trophy) and Frank Smith (Chicago and Boston variation) for $1 or $5 each!?! They're still around here somewhere, though packed away and unseen for decades. I don't even know which backs they might have, but I want to say Piedmont.

It would be many years later when I was to meet the Halls again. Still as nice as ever, and still running a really great auction the old fashioned way. I sure do miss those auctions. They managed to keep their offerings extremely eclectic, too.

[jingram058]

Originally Posted by akleinb611

Okay, here are a couple of early dealers, both of whom I know are long gone from the hobby. I'm curious about their current whereabouts.

Bruce Yeko - any collector over the age of fifty (okay, sixty!) will be familiar with his name. He ran an outfit called Wholesale Cards, located in Connecticut. Yeko was THE dealer of the Sixties and Seventies. He took over the inventory of dealer Marshall Oreck (who was a member of the family behind the vacuum cleaner empire!) and published the best card dealer catalog of that era. A very good argument can be made that Yeko, rather than Woody Gelman or Larry Fritsch, was the most important dealer of that generation. Not only did he have complete runs of all Topps and Bowman sets available, but many of the rare 1950's and 1960's regional issues all came from his holdings. If you own a mint 1960 Lake to Lake Dairy Milwaukee Braves card, it came from Wholesale Cards. Yeko faded out of the hobby in the early Eighties and took up a second career, recording original cast albums of Broadway musicals whose runs were too short for an "official" album release. As of ten or fifteen years ago, he was still involved with this. Anyone have an update for him?

Second - Bruce and Scott Oran, two brothers who specialized in selling Topps and Bowman commons of the Fifties and Sixties. I filled in many a set buying from them. They operated during the golden age when Mantle, Mays or Musial might cost a bit extra, but anyone else was a common. Some of their ads can be found in the TCMA flyers of the Seventies, but again, I think they moved to Florida just around the time the hobby really took off in 1980. Anyone know anything about them?

Good luck. I sincerely hope you find them. Most of these posts, asking about this one or that one, seem to go unanswered. A couple of years ago, in a thread far, far away, I asked about Harvey Brandwein and had the good fortune to get responses from folks who knew him. I have been in and out of this hobby 3 times, and being from Memphis and in the Navy during the hayday, these names are lost on me.

[ALBB]

There was ( is) Boston guy..Italian name....his brother was ( is ) red sox announcer... had a big store on highway for years.... Cagaligio ???

[mannequin1]

Originally Posted by akleinb611

Okay, here are a couple of early dealers, both of whom I know are long gone from the hobby. I'm curious about their current whereabouts.

Bruce Yeko - any collector over the age of fifty (okay, sixty!) will be familiar with his name. He ran an outfit called Wholesale Cards, located in Connecticut. Yeko was THE dealer of the Sixties and Seventies. He took over the inventory of dealer Marshall Oreck (who was a member of the family behind the vacuum cleaner empire!) and published the best card dealer catalog of that era. A very good argument can be made that Yeko, rather than Woody Gelman or Larry Fritsch, was the most important dealer of that generation. Not only did he have complete runs of all Topps and Bowman sets available, but many of the rare 1950's and 1960's regional issues all came from his holdings. If you own a mint 1960 Lake to Lake Dairy Milwaukee Braves card, it came from Wholesale Cards. Yeko faded out of the hobby in the early Eighties and took up a second career, recording original cast albums of Broadway musicals whose runs were too short for an "official" album release. As of ten or fifteen years ago, he was still involved with this. Anyone have an update for him?

Second - Bruce and Scott Oran, two brothers who specialized in selling Topps and Bowman commons of the Fifties and Sixties. I filled in many a set buying from them. They operated during the golden age when Mantle, Mays or Musial might cost a bit extra, but anyone else was a common. Some of their ads can be found in the TCMA flyers of the Seventies, but again, I think they moved to Florida just around the time the hobby really took off in 1980. Anyone know anything about them?

I bought a lot from Wholesale Card Co. They once had Red Heart Mantles at a card show in a stack, all mint for $1.00each!

The Oran's I vaguely remember. I think they were either from New York, if not Chiacago.

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by akleinb611

Okay, here are a couple of early dealers, both of whom I know are long gone from the hobby. I'm curious about their current whereabouts.

Bruce Yeko - any collector over the age of fifty (okay, sixty!) will be familiar with his name. He ran an outfit called Wholesale Cards, located in Connecticut. Yeko was THE dealer of the Sixties and Seventies. He took over the inventory of dealer Marshall Oreck (who was a member of the family behind the vacuum cleaner empire!) and published the best card dealer catalog of that era. A very good argument can be made that Yeko, rather than Woody Gelman or Larry Fritsch, was the most important dealer of that generation. Not only did he have complete runs of all Topps and Bowman sets available, but many of the rare 1950's and 1960's regional issues all came from his holdings. If you own a mint 1960 Lake to Lake Dairy Milwaukee Braves card, it came from Wholesale Cards. Yeko faded out of the hobby in the early Eighties and took up a second career, recording original cast albums of Broadway musicals whose runs were too short for an "official" album release. As of ten or fifteen years ago, he was still involved with this. Anyone have an update for him?

Second - Bruce and Scott Oran, two brothers who specialized in selling Topps and Bowman commons of the Fifties and Sixties. I filled in many a set buying from them. They operated during the golden age when Mantle, Mays or Musial might cost a bit extra, but anyone else was a common. Some of their ads can be found in the TCMA flyers of the Seventies, but again, I think they moved to Florida just around the time the hobby really took off in 1980. Anyone know anything about them?

Google Searches show that Bruce Yeko is still doing as of the searching his Broadway musical work.

I found a Bruce Oran profile on FB which is him and he's not very active but the mutual friend and what he called him on his Bday a couple of years ago convinces me that Bruce is findable. There are many more Scott Oran's on FB so he may not as findable.

[mikemb]

Originally Posted by akleinb611

okay, here are a couple of early dealers, both of whom i know are long gone from the hobby. I'm curious about their current whereabouts.

Bruce yeko - any collector over the age of fifty (okay, sixty!) will be familiar with his name. He ran an outfit called wholesale cards, located in connecticut. Yeko was the dealer of the sixties and seventies. He took over the inventory of dealer marshall oreck (who was a member of the family behind the vacuum cleaner empire!) and published the best card dealer catalog of that era. A very good argument can be made that yeko, rather than woody gelman or larry fritsch, was the most important dealer of that generation. Not only did he have complete runs of all topps and bowman sets available, but many of the rare 1950's and 1960's regional issues all came from his holdings. If you own a mint 1960 lake to lake dairy milwaukee braves card, it came from wholesale cards. Yeko faded out of the hobby in the early eighties and took up a second career, recording original cast albums of broadway musicals whose runs were too short for an "official" album release. As of ten or fifteen years ago, he was still involved with this. Anyone have an update for him?

Second - bruce and scott oran, two brothers who specialized in selling topps and bowman commons of the fifties and sixties. I filled in many a set buying from them. They operated during the golden age when mantle, mays or musial might cost a bit extra, but anyone else was a common. Some of their ads can be found in the tcma flyers of the seventies, but again, i think they moved to florida just around the time the hobby really took off in 1980. Anyone know anything about them?

img20240513_12450342.jpg

[obcbobd]

Originally Posted by mikemb

Attachment 621404

Got my first pre-war from Bruce Yeko at Wholesale Cards. A T206, 75 cents, note that Playballs were $1.50. Goudey's, on a different page are $4

[Seven]

Originally Posted by obcbobd

Got my first pre-war from Bruce Yeko at Wholesale Cards. A T206, 75 cents, note that Playballs were $1.50. Goudey's, on a different page are $4

Let me just hop in a time machine really quick for those prices. Holy smokes

[stlcardsfan]

I used to buy cards (mainly complete sets I think) from Walter Abe in Foster City, CA in the mid to late 1970s. My dad used to read The Sporting News so I probably found him in that fine publication. Anyone ever heard of or remember Walter?

[campersmd]

First baseball auction I ever went to was in Ellicott City, MD in 1986 where my wife and I were fortunate to sit next to Dan McKee. He was very helpful that day and every pre-war card I ever bought was from him.

First show I ever went to was the Wayne Miller show in Columbia, MD.
Dealers included Mr. Mint, Bill Mastro, Joshua Evans, Kit Young, and probably several of you. Almost passed out from the unbelievable baseball treasures STUFFED into that small room.

[oaks1912]

Originally Posted by stlcardsfan

I used to buy cards (mainly complete sets I think) from Walter Abe in Foster City, CA in the mid to late 1970s. My dad used to read The Sporting News so I probably found him in that fine publication. Anyone ever heard of or remember Walter?

Walter is still in the business. He owns three stores in the Bay Area (Peninsula Sports Cards in Belmont, South Bay Sports Card in Sunnyvale and Stevens Creek Sports Card in San Jose.

A great guy who has been successful for a long time

[stlcardsfan]

Originally Posted by oaks1912

Walter is still in the business. He owns three stores in the Bay Area (Peninsula Sports Cards in Belmont, South Bay Sports Card in Sunnyvale and Stevens Creek Sports Card in San Jose.

A great guy who has been successful for a long time

Good to hear! I remember him being a nice guy. He must be up there in age! Glad to hear he’s still around.

[darkhorse9]

Originally Posted by obcbobd

Got my first pre-war from Bruce Yeko at Wholesale Cards. A T206, 75 cents, note that Playballs were $1.50. Goudey's, on a different page are $4

Yeah, but the New York Yankees stamps are more expensive than a T206. What is this guy smoking