They definitely feel like cards - here is the Isidro Fabre

$500 for the 8 of them in 2003 was a very good deal ;)

Adam - $500 was the starting bid, the lot went for a little over $2400 which actually seemed like big money at the time!

Matt, the Leland auction group seems to me to be photos, I don't know how big they are, but maybe they are the size of a card, you tell me that they are blank on the back, that is, they have neither numbering nor propaganda from some factory, Evans (Leland) in his visits to Cuba was several times in my house, and achieved many good things, but I don't remember if any of those photos were mine, now I show a photo of Fabre, from the time of the that is shown, in that group, the third one from above seems to me to be José Maria Fernández, with his pet Catcher, the names are written in ink on the photo.

1868 1st baseball game between Cubanos and Americans
 

1868 1st Baseball Game between Americans and Cubans. In 1868, in the port of Matanzas, there was a schooner and its sailors found out that there was a baseball team in Havana, and they challenged them to go to Matanzas to play. The players from the Havana team went with a group of 25 players and from there they chose the 10 that would play that game, the referee was Leopoldo de Sola, who was the first referee of Cuba, the Cuban team won that game held in El Palmar de Junco, it was the first international baseball match, In 1879 the Hot Bitters team visited us in Havana, the North Americans winning by a wide margin, they played on the grounds of Club Habana in El Vedado, the newspaper "El Triunfo" on Tuesday, December 23, 1879 gives details of this game, the Attending public impressed by the wonderful way of playing, by the Cubans Carlos Zaldo highlighted that for the 1st time in Cuba he bunted the ball that took him to 1st base, I show some photos.

1920 Babe Ruth plays 10 games in Cuba vs. Havana and Almendares. The Cuban baseball promoter Abel Linares invites Babe Ruth to play 10 games in Havana for the sum of $20,000 dollars and Ruth accepts and comes with the New York team and his manager John McGraw, also for $3,000 dollars he plays in Santiago de Cuba 2 games in the grounds of Campo Rojo, that was a separate contract by promoters of that city, in one of the games played in Havana the hero was Cristobal Torriente by giving 3 home runs in one game, it is an interesting story, but I mention something about what happened in those days, Ruth, almost every night he went to play Fronton de Jai Alai, and made big bets, also at the Oriental Park Hippodrome, in the end he said that he had lost almost all the money won in Cuba, but I was happy. I show forums of the letter that Ruth sent to Abel Linares accepting the trip, a photo of a ball signed by the one who hit a home run (that ball was going to be mine, but when they took me to the place of sale an hour before, Yuyo Ruiz bought it, I took it to my house the next day so I could see it and have it in my hands) photo of Babe in the Frontón, photo of Almendares 1920 and photo of Campo Rojo in 1904, in 1920 Ruth played on those grounds.

Babe Ruth at bat, Almendares Park 1920

Babe Ruth in Almendares Park 1920, and Giants New York

Responding to a question to my email, what I publish in this thread is different from what I publish in my other Specialized Catalog Response thread, since you say that you see this thread and not the other, search and see what you want to see, that already I posted it a month ago, I think those who read my posts should see the two that have different things, now I show 2 photos of Babe Ruth in Almendares Park in 1920.

1885, 1st Spalding's Guide in Spanish, photos on the cover and 2 inside pages, I have some in my collection, but I don't know how many were published, do any of you know?

In the photo of John McGraw from 1920, when sitting he looks fatter, if he were standing up, he would look stretched out, now I show other photos of McGraw at Almendares Park in 1911, with the New York Giants, 9 years before , in 7th of the games there was a big discussion when they were losing the game, and offended Almendares catcher Gervasio González, at the end of the game the discussion continued with umpire Rigler in a restaurant and the police intervened and took him to jail, There are photos of what happened.

I show two more photos of what happened in the game between Almendares and New York, in the 1st we see McGraw and Rigler, McGraw tells the umpire that they have to take the Almendares catcher out of the game, Rigler tries to solve the problem, in the 2nd photo shows McGraw in the New York bank saying that not even for all of Rockefeller's money will he continue to play that game.

Caramelos La Mallorquina, Oliver Marcelle

Roland 49,

I’m hoping that you have some information to share regarding my new post card arrival. I know that the AZO postage markings place this at between 1918-1930, and I see a lot of U.S. Navy sailors in their white uniforms.

Do you have any info regarding this postcard?

Jim, you show a postcard of a game at the Guantanamo Naval Base, through many years I have seen many different ones, but I don't know any information about what you show. You will now see a Billiken card by GoshMarcelle

Matt (Ghost Marcelle) has the nicest Billiken set known. His Charleston is off the charts. At the same time he was collecting Billikens, I was collecting Aguilitas Segundas and Ryan Christoff was collecting the Tomas Gutierrez set. Here are a few of my nicer Segundas.

Amazing cards Kenny!

Chad

Oscar Charleston Santa Clara 1923 Billiken, Charleston Team Cuba 1928

Thank you, Roland. I found out that the building on the hill was built in 1927, so my postcard dates from about 1928-30.

There are Babe Ruth cards in Cuban collections, I now show from Chocolate Baguer and Victoria Collections.

Hoyt Wilhein, matchbox card

Original Billiken Cigars box where the cards came from, I took a picture of it next to Westley's card

Wesley

Kenny, the Westley card you show is excellent, maybe it was mine several years ago, I had 3 complete Billiken collections, now I show a scan with Westley's card, but from La Moda, from the same manufacturer Villaamil, many years ago I explained for myself From experience, La Moda cards were very difficult, more or less for every 10 Billiken I saw, one of La Moda appeared.

1922 ROMEO AND JULIETA CIGARS cards
 

Rolando or anyone with knowledge,

Do you have any information on these cards or opinion? They are not mine. Just noticed the Mendez (link below) when I looking at old Mendez cards. I found a couple pictures of some of the other cards as well. I couldn't find any real reference to them (found some boxing ones)other than this Hake's auction. I had never heard of them before. I was speaking with another member about them, and they seem off in my opinion. My opinion means little though since I know nothing about them.

Thanks
Chad Paskiewicz

https://hakes.com/Auction/ItemDetail...KIN-COLLECTION

I will summarize what I understand and feel free to add:
There was a significant discussion about these cards several years after a group (not the ones listed above) of cards were listed on eBay. Several people discussed the merits of those cards and Roland through someone else was was consulted (before he became a member here). He, at the time, I believe physically held those cards and feels comfortable they are a real and extremely scarce issue. He provided some history of the information/stats on the back.

He did write about them in one of his books (which I own).

I think you can find some of the history of the cards in a separate thread via the search and also some more recent comments when the Hake’s auction occurred in this thread.

Romeo y Julieta 1922 Cigars. Many years ago they took me a group of those cards to evaluate them, after observing them very well, I explained that they were 100% original, I wanted to buy them but the one who had them wanted to sell them on ebay, when I put them there were comments on net54 (site unknown to me), and days later the seller agreed with my friend Ryan, and they came looking for me and I gave an explanation, I think those cards were going to come out in 1911, maybe yes or maybe not, but in 1922, when the amateur series was printed, they found the originals from 1911 and decided to print them, on some cards it says 1911 and on others 1915, the explanation is broader, but it would take a lot of space, in my Specialized Catalog I show it, in a recent auction when Mendez's card was sold, they copied what I had said previously, I show a photo of my catalog, which I had to reduce the size so that it could be seen on net54, that's why it doesn't look very good

Thank you for the information Jamie and Rolando. Good to know.

Chad

Cabañas y Mallorquinas Cards, about two years ago, a member of net54 contacted another of the members, a friend of mine who has been visiting me at my house for 20 years, when he comes to Cuba, he gives him a list of cards he needed, I got part of it. of them, but it was covid times and my friend could not come, he sent me a message saying that April 30th arrives, but that he has not been able to have contact with the person who wants the cards, I sent him a private message and neither He answers me, I'm not going to mention names, but I know he reads my threads, that's why I'm giving this information, so he knows that I have everything saved for him, and if he's interested, quickly contact the one who comes to my house, now I show from my specialized catalog one of the pages of Cabañas 1909, you will see 3 different postcards of Bustamante.

Cigarros Billiken, Alejandro Oms and Cooper

I show the book "The Monarch and his Prowess" by Horacio Roqueta published in Cuba in 1920 due to the visit of Babe Ruth invited by Abel Linares, the other photos of what was discussed days ago, of the game between Almendares and New York, we see Strike Gonzalez watching the events from a distance, after John McGraw offended him, and the other photo of McGraw retiring in a car after the game ended.

Tomas Gutiérrez cards, Pitcher

Tomas Gutiérrez Collection, Pitcher, this collection by mistake of someone who at some point gave it that name is known as Diaz Hno, but his real name is Tomás Gutiérrez, I show two cards: Vance and Grover Alexander.

Collection "Campo Alegre" 1946-47, this collection of cards are rare, I show a photo of part of the sheet that appears in my Specialized Catalog, you can see the Martin Dihigo card, very rare and difficult to find.

I show a page from a book of autographs of the Marianao team, the page corresponding to Raymond Dandridge

Corn Flakes Kellogg'S Collection 1947-48, on the occasion of the Federation championship of that year, held at the La Tropical Stadium, a postcard collection was printed, with the players of the participating teams: Alacranes, Leones and Cuba, I show a see the pages of Volume 2 of my catalogs and the post cards of Adolfo Lique and Roberto Ortiz, (I had to reduce the size of the photos so they could appear, I didn't accept larger ones, that's why they don't look very good)

"Tomás Gutiérrez 1923-24 Cigars" This collection of cards is very rare, it has baryacins in the numbering, on the back it is printed with carmelite and blue ink, in my specialized catalog I give a detailed explanation of all the details that I know, now I ask You collectors, do any of you have postcard #84? I have never seen it with that number, if anyone has it they can publish it to see it, I think that perhaps it was not printed, some numbers are repeated with letters, in the photo the pages of my catalog.

"Kellogg'S " Napoleón Reyes and Agapito Mayor

Cabañas Cigars 1909

Collection " La Campaña " Martin Dihigo

Lloyd Cigarros Billiken
 

Lloyd, Billiken Album 1923-24, only known 8 x10 inches. The Billiken collection in size 8x10 inches is a super rarity, I show Lloyd front and back and the album cover, they exist from other players. Do any of the net54 members have it?

Collection Cigarros Billiken 1923-24, 8x10 inches, Bartolo Portuondo and Lloyd.

I've gotten a few emails with questions about this Billiken 8X10 collection, and I've responded to all of them, but I'm posting a few things in this thread, in case anyone has any questions. 1- The photos of the collection are in Cuba. 2- They appear in my specialized catalogues. 3- All these Billiken are going to be for sale. 4- On ebay Cuban baseball my catalogs Volume 1 and Volume 2 are for sale, for the moment they will not be printed anymore due to lack of ink for laser printers. I show the photo of Merito Acosta from the collection and a photo from my catalogue.

Collection Billiken 8X10, Quintana

Winters in 8x10, I have never seen it. My Catalog, Cigarros Billiken y La Moda 8x10 Cincinnati 1928

Billiken 8X10
 

Matt, You ask me when and where are they going to be sold? I answer that very soon, perhaps on ebay, but almost certainly directly if there is a good offer, (private message)

Barging in on this thread because members here were suggested for info and it seems like this is a great place to find an answer...

The 1930 Baguer Chocolate card that's assumed to be short printed in order to keep people from cashing in on an exchanged prize/premium is Mitchell Blake.

My question...who is Mitchell Blake? I've never figured that out.

...tossing in a card to keep the thread a bit more relevant.

Now I show the scanned photo of Lloid, and the card, notice that in the photo you can see that with his hands he is holding the bat and glove, in the card you can't see it because of the sign with his name.

Billiken 8X10 Cigars, Bartolo Portuondo, played several years in the Negro Leagues, also in the Cuban League, as a curious fact, he is the father of the Diva of the Cuban song and winner of several Grammy awards, Omara Portuondo, I show the photo and the Billiken card 1923-24, I show the photos and cards of Merito Acosta and R. Quintana. Answering questions, these photos have been printed for 100 years and were in Cuba until yesterday, they are currently outside of Cuba for sale, if anyone is interested write me privately.

Cigarros Billiken 1923-24, R. Quintana, cards and photo 8x10

Álbum Fosforos Acebo, Willy Mays, Almendares Team, page of my catalog.

"Punch 1910 Cigars" advertisements in print and handwritten letters. I show two Chicho González cards and you will see that his name, year and team, on one of them is printed in handwriting and the other printed in block letters, I know several cards from the Punch collection, with the same characteristics, the photo goes from a page of my Specialized Catalog Volume 1, where I give the explanation.

Billiken 8X10, Boxing, Firpo,
ADAMS, SEE THE BOXING

I show a photo on the steps of the University of Havana, when in 1947 AAGPBL players visited us. who played several games at the Estadio del Cerro.

Trinidad y Hno collection 8x10, 1920s
Ruth, Horsnby, Mike González etc.

Trinidad y Hno. collection 8x10, in Album, Barnhart, Carl Mays

I have noticed this...
 

I love the hand written versions....

Hopefully one of the members won one of these on eBay today. I just missed it!

Cigarros PUNCH 1910, Valentín González, Chicho González and Luis (Mulo) Padrón

Cigarros Junco Collection, A. Mancuso, card and photo, in my Catalog Specialized

Cigarros Tomás Gutiérrez, Magrinat, González, umpires, and Almendares, Habana, banderas.

Fakes
 

In the last few weeks I have received 6 emails asking me about the fake Cuban cards, they were all answered but one of them asked me to publish it for everyone's knowledge, that's a long story, but I'll explain something, the first fakes appeared at the end of the 80s, and they were the Billiken, followed by Nacionales, La Cotorra, Aguilitas, in the latter the photos that appeared in the 50s programs were glued to original cards of other subjects, in the year 2004, they called me to tell me about the Cerveza Polar cards, which I did not know, they spent a year preparing the counterfeit and in 2005 they appeared, when I saw them I realized they were fake, they used material they had saved from the 50s to deceive me, but they could not with me, days later they gave me the name of the counterfeiter, he lived in the province of Villa Clara, and others were made from that province, the Billiken and Nacionales were counterfeited in Havana , I show some examples of fakes.

I show other examples of counterfeit Cuban cards. Cigarros Trinidad y Hno. Agua Mineral La Cotorra, Periódico Alerta.

Gener 1925 Cigars, the rarest of all Cuban collections. See in my Specialized Catalog

Cigarros Gener in my Catalog Specialized

Mantle in Cerro Stadium 1956, Goicocheap y Raúl ( chino ) Atan, Mantle Picher?

Adolfo Luque #3 cards Cigarros Gener

Mickey is all smiles! Great stuff, Roland.
.

Periódico " La Campaña " Roberto Ortiz - Almendares, Lazaro Salazar - Marianao.

Roland i enjoy coming back and checking the new images you have uploaded. Very impressive and thank you for sharing. I have a question maybe you may have a answer for. I know alot of Mexican born baseball players in Cuba . Do you know who was the first player to play on the island ? Do you have images of any of them ?

Just going back through this thread, (post 759) I don't think I have never seen 1/5 of that many Cabanas cards at once.

Baraja Española 40 cards

Cigarros Punch cards scan

I would love to own a Punch Pete Hill. Absolutely fantastic card.

Definitely a great card. I would give up most of my collection for the Pop Lloyd.

Chad

As would I, Ken and Chad!

Cheers,
Mike

Punch 1910 Juan Viola

Cigarros PUNCH 1910, Valentín González, Chicho González y Luis (Mulo) Padrón

Answers to a question they asked me in my email, but I do it here so that everyone who reads me knows, what I publish in this thread is different from the publication I do in my other Specialized Catalog thread, and what questions was already published by the latter, you should always see my two threads that have different publications.

Album Tomas Gutiérrez 1924