Quote:
Originally Posted by brian1961
Shaun, Congratulations on hunting down this pride of Bengal Tigers! Your last card looks dead-centered to me.
Would you please be so kind to share with us who hunger for information on what you know about this set?
A. How they were issued?
B. What was the distribution region for this rare regional?
C. What years they seemed to have been issued?
D. For the benefit of the uninformed, please relate to us the story of how the Bond Bread Company used the "common" portrait card, and why it is somewhat common today.
E. Any other savory tidbits that are not generally known?
Please come to the head of the class, Shaun. Your pupils are sitting at their computers eagerly awaiting with rapt attention for your responses. 
---Brian Powell |
Brian, I'd be happy to give a little more info on the set. IMO, it's one of the most under-appreciated Post-War sets out there, and the overall difficulty level for completing the set is insanely high. I know of multiple individuals that have spent the better part of a decade attempting to complete the set without luck.
As I mentioned, even Spence needed 6 years to complete his first set (an that being with a larger bankroll than most of us).
There is still much to be known about the set. I did a bit of research with the help of Mike (71buc) and some other Net54 members last year. With my set nearing completion, I hope to finish my research this year.
A) As for how they were issued, there are two theories. The first is that they were issued in packages of bread. The second is that they were given to grocery stores to be distributed as promotional items, perhaps with the purchase of Bond Bread or affiliated products.
B) I believe that the distribution region extended beyond NYC as was originally thought. In my research, I found reference to the cards / Jackie's endorsement in multiple newspapers targeting the African-American community, including Baltimore and Pittsburgh. It should also be noted that I have communicated with various individuals who received the cards from their parents / grandparents after they passed, each of which believed their parents / grandparents to be the original owners. These individuals were from North Carolina, and New Orleans. As such, I have to believe that the distribution went well beyond NYC, and rather targeted African-American communities throughout the East Coast and Mideast.
C) For years, it was assumed that the cards were distributed only in 1947. However, Mike and I found evidence that that simply is not the case. Instead, we believe that they were issued in segments between 1947 and 1949 (or 1950). The Portrait was likely the test card and easily the most widely distributed. I believe the backs of the other cards are the best indicator we have regarding when each of the other cards were issued.
D) As mentioned previously, the portrait (facsimile sig) was more than likely the "litmus test" to determine how effective the cards would be in promoting the product. It is believed that they were given to bread deliverymen, and grocery store owners to be distributed to the general public to promote Bond Bread products to the African-American community. I believe that the card was distributed in October of 1947, likely just after the World Series. I believe it was the most widely distributed of the bunch, and that is why there are more available today.
E) I posted this thread about the set last year, and I will likely add to it at some point this year:
http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=171169
2 other tidbits:
1) It wasn't until the 80s or 90s I believe that it was discovered that there were actually 13 cards in the set. (It was initially believed that there were between 10 and 12).
2) A few of the original photos used for the cards depict Robinson in a Montreal uniform. As such, it is a great example of photo-editing techniques in the late 40s.
All that being said, the sheer difficulty of the set makes it somewhat under-appreciated, as it takes a lot of time and patience to put the set together. It certainly takes more than a large bank account to complete the set, and I guess that is what makes it so alluring to me.
Thanks for asking again and giving me the opportunity to share what I know!
Shaun