Net54baseball.com Forums - The Fleer 125th Anniversary Book Project...

Hello all,

I’m currently piecing together an illustrated history on Fleer and its various incarnations, 1885 to present. This will be completed in book form and released at a later date in 2010. The idea is to interweave beautiful full-color photographs with company history to create a thorough visual telling of this confectionery giant. I need help from collectors to achieve this.

If you have anything remotely relating to Fleer, be it some wrappers or packaging, old photographs, history, or even a memory from childhood, please feel free to contact me. The contributions of collectors like yourself will ultimately shape the final outcome of this project.

Below is a version of an ad currently running in The Wrapper:

<img src="http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/scratchtest/net54final-flat.jpg" border="0" alt="">

A little about myself: I’ve primarily been a collector of oddball Topps and Fleer confectionery items and ephemera for the past 20+ years, although anything in the realm of bubble gum fits this category. Frequently contribute images and info to The Wrapper, the definitive source for all things non-sport. In 2003 I was hired by Topps to reconstruct their early company history coinciding with the 50th Anniversary of Bazooka Joe, resulting in numerous newspaper interviews and an appearance on the CBS Early Show. I have a deep appreciation for the unsung artists, designers, and creators who have fashioned many of the items we cherish and collect today, and feel a need to preserve this.

I appreciate your time in reading this and wish everyone a wonderful New Year.

--Jeff Shepherd