Let’s rehash the Bond Bread controversy.

[Johnphotoman]

If the card is 2 1/4 x 3 1/2, and since it is a squared card, it would be a “Sports Star” card, 1947 or 1949, But most of the time it will be listed as a W571 / D305 -Bond Bread card. John

[butchie_t]

Originally Posted by Johnphotoman

If the card is 2 1/4 x 3 1/2, and since it is a squared card, it would be a “Sports Star” card, 1947 or 1949, But most of the time it will be listed as a W571 / D305 -Bond Bread card. John

It is 2 1/4 by 3 1/2. However, there is no way to prove that it is from that set. Any association to that series or any other series was long gone by the time they were discovered.

Still cool to own and I like them all.

B.T.

[Johnphotoman]

You are right, there is no way to prove that it is 100% from the “Sports Star” set. or any set. But we have first hand knowledge ,people who collected this cards in 1947-1949. I will take first hand knowledge over any other. And yes, they are very cool cards. Fun to have and look at. John

[Johnphotoman]

There is a copy of the Baseball card society letter on the original thread, this is what Ted Z wrote about that letter:

From the original By Ted Zanidakis thread: "This document appears to be the evidence regarding the source of the RE-printed "1947 Bond Bread" cards which David Festberg discovered in a NJ warehouse in the 1980's. It is not dated, however in it's text it implies a circa 1980's date, which does coincide with Festberg's find. Plus, the fact that 24 cards are being advertised. The original BOND BREAD set of cards consists of 48 cards.

When I first saw these cards in the early 1990's at the Philly Show, I purchased several of them. When I got home, I compared them to my original 1947 BOND BREAD cards, which I collected in my youth. And, it was very obvious, that these were inferior reproductions." TED Z

The cards you have does not look inferior in anyway, but a true 1947-1949 card to me, and that's where I would place it. John

[butchie_t]

Originally Posted by Johnphotoman

There is a copy of the Baseball card society letter on the original thread, this is what Ted Z wrote about that letter:

From the original By Ted Zanidakis thread: "This document appears to be the evidence regarding the source of the RE-printed "1947 Bond Bread" cards which David Festberg discovered in a NJ warehouse in the 1980's. It is not dated, however in it's text it implies a circa 1980's date, which does coincide with Festberg's find. Plus, the fact that 24 cards are being advertised. The original BOND BREAD set of cards consists of 48 cards.

When I first saw these cards in the early 1990's at the Philly Show, I purchased several of them. When I got home, I compared them to my original 1947 BOND BREAD cards, which I collected in my youth. And, it was very obvious, that these were inferior reproductions." TED Z

The cards you have does not look inferior in anyway, but a true 1947-1949 card to me, and that's where I would place it. John

You will also find my copy of the letter as well. I still have that and the invoice from when I bought them.

Butch Turner

[Johnphotoman]

Can you post them? Where did you buy them? I thought the letter was to warn people about the re-prints from the 1980s, I did not know about the find in the 1970s. I try to copy the original letter but could not, what date is on yours.

This is good knowledge to have.Thank you for your opinion, but many people take them as original. And that is what this thread is about, it is good to get other opinions. My research gives one opinion and your another. Look at the Edwards Auction, if those cars had brown backs and of inferior quality, they would not say they were 1947-1949 cards.

Lot 42: Square Corner Bond Bread Complete Baseball Card Set (24) w/ Jackie Robinson, Stan Musial, Phil Rizzuto, Joe Louis - 1947-49?
Richard L. Edwards Auctioneer Greenville, OH, US April 15, 2023
Item Overview / Description, Square Corner Bond Bread Complete Baseball Card Set (24) w/ Jackie Robinson, Stan Musial, Phil Rizzuto, Joe Louis - 1947-49? John

[butchie_t]

I would love to say that they are original. They do check some notable boxes but.... Problem is that there are way more questions than answers to the questions. And Ted Z as well as Leon have commented about these as well over the years. I take their word as gospel.

Here you go.

Cheers,

[Keith H. Thompson]

Originally Posted by Johnphotoman

There is a copy of the Baseball card society letter on the original thread, this is what Ted Z wrote about that letter:

From the original By Ted Zanidakis thread: "This document appears to be the evidence regarding the source of the RE-printed "1947 Bond Bread" cards which David Festberg discovered in a NJ warehouse in the 1980's. It is not dated, however in it's text it implies a circa 1980's date, which does coincide with Festberg's find. Plus, the fact that 24 cards are being advertised. The original BOND BREAD set of cards consists of 48 cards.

When I first saw these cards in the early 1990's at the Philly Show, I purchased several of them. When I got home, I compared them to my original 1947 BOND BREAD cards, which I collected in my youth. And, it was very obvious, that these were inferior reproductions." TED Z

The cards you have does not look inferior in anyway, but a true 1947-1949 card to me, and that's where I would place it. John

I've always respected TED Z in this matter. We collectors do not like to trample on toes, or offend where money or influence is involved, but how can anyone tell the difference between finding genuinely printed Bond Bread issues in a NJ warehouse and salted reprints hot from the presses ?

[Johnphotoman]

I would agree, we cannot tell between the 1947 genuine cars, but we can tell the 1980s Festberg finds from the 1947 cards. As for hot of the presses, the quality would not be as good in the pictures, because they would have to copy the genuine cards, unless they have the Original photos the cards were made from. I have 181 9x10 photos they could have been used to print the cards from. Many are the “Bond Bread cards", this is why I do not like to show the photo, because someone could use them to make cards, and we could not tell the difference. For this same reason we can tell the 1980 find, because of paper and the quality of the printing. But if someone did have photos like I the ones I have... they print up cards, if they went about using the right paper stock. If this happens, we could not tell them apart from the 1947 cards, or almost impossible to tell them apart.

Wait if a forensic expert went over the cards, then they could tell when the paper was made, and what kind of ink was used, it would almost be impossible to get ink and paper stock from the 1947, therefore the forensic person could tell the fake cards. But as collectors we could not. I was in the printing for over 40 years, and I don't know if I could tell the fakes if done right, with the matching stock and the original photo. John

[Johnphotoman]

I was thinking, I don’t mean to imply that the 1980s Festberg - discovered in NJ. are not good cards to have. On the contrary, anyone who has these cards has a piece of baseball history. Only that they are not from the 1947 cards issued. And they are not Bond Bread cards, since they were not but in the bread, this is what makes the Bond Bread issue so special. And again I do agree we cannot tell the Bond Bread cards from the Sports Star cards. John

[Johnphotoman]

Originally Posted by Keith H. Thompson

I've always respected TED Z in this matter. We collectors do not like to trample on toes, or offend where money or influence is involved, but how can anyone tell the difference between finding genuinely printed Bond Bread issues in a NJ warehouse and salted reprints hot from the presses ?

Keith, your post deserves an update. I stand by the hot of the printing press response. But you made a very good point, which had me looking into, can we tell the difference between the squared cut cards. Meaning the cards we call Bond Bread and the Festberg cards. With new information I have to say no. I went by the information provided by the Ted Z post, but as I continue to research and investigate the Bond Bread card set, I have found that not everything in that post can be taken as gospel. Thanks to you we can have this conversation. John