Quote:
Originally Posted by Leon
Good info. THANKS for sharing...
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To Leon: Thanks for the encouragement!
To All:
The images in the post to which Leon replied come from issues attributed as "Comic Stars" and "Comic Traders" cards. The cards were issued in 1949-1950 in a variety of subsets and packaging. The subsets might contain from 10 to 48 different cards. An identical card could appear in more than one subset, while other cards could be cropped pictures and/or with variations in text from one subset to the next. The cards were all issued with rounded cut corners.
Combined, the total number of different cards should be 250 cards, with over 200 cards blank-backed. At the present time, only about 80% of the 250 cards are known to exist. Little is known about the company responsible for manufacturing these "Comic Stars" / "Comic Traders" cards.
Ten Comic Trader cards are in the 'Li'l Abner Spoof Game," issued in April, 1950 by Milton Bradley. Complete sets are known. Each card has an imprint for "Dogpatch" (Li'l Abner's hometown) and some other details on back.
The only other cards with printing on the back come from the New York Mirror newspaper. Beginning at the end of June, 1950, the Mirror issued 1 card each week for 26 weeks inserted in its Sunday comic section. The card backs have text only: "FROM THE 16-PAGE COLOR COMIC SECTION EVERY SUNDAY IN THE NEW YORK MIRROR." During that time, the Mirror also offered cardboard packs containing more than one of the cards. A separate single promo card may exist.
In addition to publishing a newspaper at that time, for years the New York Mirror had been printing private jobs for large companies. Such printing was usually some form of advertising or other promotion, and often associated with advertising run in the newspaper. The Mirror not only had the capabilities, but extensive printing, cutting and packaging equipment, necessary to print cards, card packaging, and most any printed thing that could be given out. As a newspaper, it routinely accessed numerous photo services that offered pictures of the day. The Mirror's large art department could drawn or modify most any picture. Almost never, did the New York Times identify itself on its private printing jobs.
It's not definitive, but it looks like it may be more than coincidence. The New York Times carried extensive advertising for the Homogenized Bond Bread package insert cards and for Bond Bread's Jackie Robinson giveaways. The New York Mirror regularly used pictures from the license holder of the pictures of players used on Bond Bread cards. The cardboard packaging of the "Sport Star Subjects" sets containing the same 48 cards as the Bond Bread package insert set was of the type produced by the New York Mirror as was the packaging of related sets.
The following scan shows examples of the common backs of New York Mirror's "Comic Star / Comic Trader" cards. Consider how the cut corners compare with the cut corners of the Bond Bread cards. Your comments in a reply would be highly welcomed.
Thanks,
Mike