Who are the 10 most important collectors in hobby history

[Orioles1954]

I'm aware of one Sheik Semaj Nigaef of Dubai, a renowned Arabian horse trader who has quietly accumulated a superior type collection over the past three decades. It has been acquired under terms of strict confidentiality and not too many Westerners know of it.

[Kawika]

Ecin yrt, Semaj.

[GoSoxBoSox]

Frank,

I don't recall hearing of Bill Haber. Can you write a few words on him to educate? Thanks much.

Tom

[Orioles1954]

Originally Posted by Kawika

Ecin yrt, Semaj.

Hod! My apologies to Bruce, taking stuff like baseball cards too seriously is not my way.

[FrankWakefield]

Tom,

Bill Haber worked for Topps. He worked there for years, as he worked his way up he eventually reached what I think was a job with the title of Sports Director. He worked on getting at least one card, one image, of everyone who played in the majors. Back in the 60's he had a collection that was on par with, and in some ways better than those of Egan, Barker, and Carter. He had all of the PCL Bowmans. When I communicated with him it was a tug of war, I'd try to pry from him information about the white border tobacco cards, and the players depicted; he was always wanting to know about Colgans Chips, which ones I had, or had seen, which team variations existed. Sometimes we'd answer the other's questions as a way of steering the conversation back to what we wanted to know about. I sent him a few Colgans, at one time he was pushing out on those known, or those that were attributed on the various lists. He was a soft spoken, gentle fellow, had worked in banking at one time. And he was big on getting the birth and death dates, and the locations correct in the old Baseball Encyclopedia. I would think he's still acknowledged in that publication, if he isn't he should be. I know Mr. Lipset acknowledges him in the 2nd Encyclopedia on Early Gum and Candy Cards; I don't recall if he's mentioned in the other two. I'd think his collection in the 60's would have been in the top 10, his knowledge of baseball cards top 10, his cataloging and record keeping top notch. At Topps he was able to determine who got a card and who didn't (subject to the contract crossfire). I deem him one of the more important collectors to our hobby.

As for Sir EW Tigar, if this was about all card collecting then I think he leaps to the top of the list. But since I deem this to be about baseball card collecting, I allow for Mr. Burdick to barely nudge him out.

[GoSoxBoSox]

Originally Posted by FrankWakefield

Bill Haber worked for Topps.I deem him one of the more important collectors to our hobby.

Thanks for that info. It's amazing to me the think about how dedicated these men were in a time were you had to be part detective, record keeper, filing clerk, letter writer, advertisement author, etc. to even understand what was out there. They also had be a clearing house, I'm sure, accepting all kinds of material in to build their sets, make trades, and sell the unwanted items. It's so different from what we do today as collectors is hard to imagine all of the duties they had to undertake. Each must have spent most of their lives locked alone in a room.

[refz]

weres mr mint on this list?

[oldjudge]

Mr Mint was not a collector

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Orioles1954

I'm aware of one Sheik Semaj Nigaef of Dubai, a renowned Arabian horse trader who has quietly accumulated a superior type collection over the past three decades. It has been acquired under terms of strict confidentiality and not too many Westerners know of it.

So why expose him?

[barrysloate]

Semaj Nigaef is James Feagin backwards.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

Semaj Nigaef is James Feagin backwards.

LOL no one ever accused me of being the brightest light on the tree. Good one, James!

Dear JIMVB,

My ex-wife has no interest in baseball cards. Whilst we sold some cards
as part of our divorce settlement, we went our own separate ways.

Furthermore, unlike you, she holds a graduate degree does not shoot animals
for sport, spit tobacco, nor does she have so much time on her hands
that she would waste it writing laughable posts.

Whilst we are unaware of your social activities, might we suggest a visit to Chicago- attend the Jerry Springer show. It appears that the women participants, albeit a bit smarter than you- would be your perfect match.

By the way, Jim VB, you will soon be appearing on the top of our list- the ten most foolish Board Members of All Time

Bruce Dorskind
America's Toughest Want List

[slidekellyslide]

I recently found some old 1950s hobby magazines (I didn't see anything baseball related in them) and every one of them has a classified ad from Charles Bray seeking tobacco and candy cards...there were also ads from Goodwin Goldfaden seeking sports related publications. Just imagine the stuff they must have gotten from those ads.

I was also recently looking through an early 1950s issue of Popular Science magazine and saw a Charles Bray classified ad in that too...he really covered the bases.

[Jim VB]

Originally Posted by Yankeefan51

Dear JIMVB,

My ex-wife has no interest in baseball cards. Whilst we sold some cards
as part of our divorce settlement, we went our own separate ways.

Furthermore, unlike you, she holds a graduate degree does not shoot animals
for sport, spit tobacco, nor does she have so much time on her hands
that she would waste it writing laughable posts.

Whilst we are unaware of your social activities, might we suggest a visit to Chicago- attend the Jerry Springer show. It appears that the women participants, albeit a bit smarter than you- would be your perfect match.

By the way, Jim VB, you will soon be appearing on the top of our list- the ten most foolish Board Members of All Time

Bruce Dorskind
America's Toughest Want List

Thanks for the clarification. You were unclear in your earlier post.

So she doesn't collect baseball cards, just your pictures of dead Presidents? (You know. Like Samuel Chase.)

[Kawika]

[Bicem]

Originally Posted by Yankeefan51

By the way, Jim VB, you will soon be appearing on the top of our list- the ten most foolish Board Members of All Time

zing!!!

[Jim VB]

Originally Posted by Bicem

zing!!!

I know. I am caught in the middle. Crushed by the thought of Bruce's disdain and yet, anxious to know who the competition is!