Let’s rehash the Bond Bread controversy.

[Johnphotoman]

Collectors & Traders Sport Star Subjects and the boxes they came in.

[Johnphotoman]

Collectors & Traders Screen Star Subjects.

[JUrsaner]

Thank you for posting these John!

[Johnphotoman]

Member butchie_t, did post BCS letters he had and the 24 W571 cards he purchased from BCS, thanks to him we know a lot about the cards BCS offered. The letters from butchie t, were the letters to members to buy the set of Bond Bread cards offered by BCS. We will call them the Original letters.

The letters from member CardPadre were to people who did not purchase the 24 card set. We will call them the second chance letters.

Now member Dave Hornish posted in: 1947 BOND BREAD and its "imposters"....show us your cards? An article from Sports Collectors Digest, by Bob Schulhof, January 22, 1993.

The three posts have formed what I call the smoking-gun. Which I will be posting soon. But first part 3 of Who did find a warehouse with Bond Bread cards in it? Where did BCS get their cards? Thanks for posting. John

[Johnphotoman]

What are we to make of everything said so far? We have solid evidence but not concrete proof that Arrco printed up the cards we call Bond Bread. The facts show us that the set W571- square cut cards were sold to retailers by Arrco, the retailers then use the cards as rewards programs, circa 1940s -1960s. The facts show evidence that a person/collector found some of the W571 sets (squared cut cards), a 24 card set, that Arrco had stored in a warehouse circa 1960s-1970s.

That person was not David Festberg! His story says he found the cards in 1988, and remember nowhere is there evidence that David Festberg told that story himself. I have personally talked to old-timers who say the Festberg story of a warehouse find was made up; Because they knew of a story about a dealer who heard about a stash of cards Arrco had sitting in a warehouse; circa 1960-1970s. This person purchased all the cards in that warehouse; Believed to be from Arrco, 10 to 20 years before the Featberg story. This person’s wife (widow) at his death sold off his collector circa 1980s. Around the time of the Festberg warehouse find. The information we now have suggests that David Festberg and BCS purchased their cards they had for sale from that collector's widow and put them up for sale circa 1988-1990s.

I say concrete evidence because we have people who say they collected these cards (W571) first hand circa 1940s- 1960. And evidence that says the Festberg and BCS cards are the same cards. And we have evidence, although minimal, that Festberg and BCS cards were purchased from a widows collector. And that they are the same cards printed by Arrco circa 1940s. Arrco sold the W571 cards up until the 1960s, when most rewards programs ended by retailers. The cards that were left set in a warehouse until someone discovered them circa 1970s, (the collector and his widow are unknown.)

Does it get any better than first hand knowledge and eyewitness accounts? No! But we still can not say we have 100% absolute proof; Because of people who argued against the proof we have as collectors. These people have given and continue to give their own proof, but as I have proven their proof is suspect and without merit. Therefore we can not say we have 100% proof, but in any court of law, you would get a conviction with the proof given. The facts show us that the people who argue against the proof we now have as collectors, would not stand a chance arguing their case in a court of law. But yet, here we are, and sadly I can not say 100% we have put an end to all the confusion, mayhem, and chaos around the cards we call Bond Bread. The good news is we can say we have at least 90% proof of knowing the truth about the cards we call Bond Bread; With only about 10% of that information is still unclear.

Some of the information that is still unclear: who printed and issued all the different sets we call Bond Bread. The research I have conducted suggest, Arrco was the company that printed all the cards we call Bond Bread, and those cards were distributed by many different methods and companies. There is some inconclusive evidence that suggests otherwise: I should not say evidence, but more a theory that there were other companies that printed some of the cards we call Bond Bread.

One theory is that the 1947 Bond Bread insert cards, and the round and square corner cards of the Sport Star Subject sets and the Screen Star Subject sets were manufactured by the Meyercord Co. of Chicago. I have found no proof that Meyercord Co. of Chicago, had anything to do with printing up trading cards. The facts are simple: the Meyercord Company in Chicago was not a commercial printing company, but rather a company that printed advertising signs and decals.

Not so fast: What about the 1952 Baseball Star-Cal decals set? Yes, the Meyercord company did print the 1952 Star-Cal Decals Basics set; but they were not printed on paper stock as you find with baseball cards, they were decals…not trading cards. These were decals that would adhere to a surface with the addition of water. Meyercord company offered several different ideas for collectors. These could adhere to mirrors, walls, lunch boxes, books, lockers, furniture, trays, lamp shades, and several other items.

While the backs of the packaging explained the concept, it was the actual decals that were the feature. The decals featured all sorts of Major League Baseball Players and the set had various stars. The biggest are Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays, but also found here are Jackie Robinson, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Yogi Berra, and many more. While most collectors think of the Mick’s 1952 Topps card, his 1952 Star-Cal Decal is much rarer.

Other information that is still unclear- where did the images for all the trading cards come from, and who had the rights to them. Some of the images were from ACME Newspicture Service, others were from Team Photo Packs sold in ballparks and wire photos were even used, some of the cards came from movie studios.

As I was writing up the very pages you just read, I found what could only be called the smoking-gun. At least for the W571 cards we call Bond Bread. At the same time I found the smoking-gun, a post was posted on Net54baseball.com by member CardPadre…that is inline with what I call the smoking-gun. John

Below the 1952 Star-Cal Decals Basics set.

[Johnphotoman]

I call this a living breathing post, (“Let’s rehash the Bond Bread controversy”), for those of you who do not know, I started this post from my notes, and posted what I and others had posted about the cards we call Bond Bread. As new information comes in we can change our minds about what we thought was fact, or new information can be posted that backs up the facts we have.

My post on: “Who did find a warehouse with Bond Bread cards in it? Where did BCS get their cards?” is a perfect example of what I'm talking about as this post being a “living breathing post”.

As I was writing up the post (“Who did find a warehouse with Bond Bread cards in it? Where did BCS get their cards?” ) from my notes on BCS letters from member butchie t - I saw a note I made that said read post #40 from 1947 BOND BREAD and its "imposters"....show us your cards?

The note said: “It has information about who did find a warehouse of Bond Bread cards, it appears it was not David Festberg”. It was a post by member Dave Hornish- he posted an article from Sports Collectors Digest, by Bob Schulhof, January 22, 1993. That post by Hornish, was what I was writing about at the time.

When I read that post…I believed that David Hornish posted the answer to most of the confusion around the square cut cards and Festburg cards we call Bond Bread W571., and the BCS cards. I said to myself this could be the smoking-gun, it has been there all this time.

It just so happened as I was writing about BCS and David Festberg…member CardPadre posted a letter from BCS that I saw as the second part of the smoking-gun. These letters from butchie t, (BCS), the David Hornish Sports Collectors Digest article, and the BCS letters from CardPadre make up what I call the smoking-gun and those three post back up the 3 part post “Who did find a warehouse with Bond Bread cards in it? Where did BCS get their cards?”

How much more proof do we need at this time on the W571 square cut cards? They are circa 1940s and were printed by Arrco in a 48 card set. BCS and David Festberg are the same cards that were printed by Arrco circa1940s. There was a warehouse find, circa 1960-1970s, but not by Festberg. BCS and Festberg did sell a 24 card set of the W571 cards 1988-1990s, but it now appears that they brought their cards from the widow of the person who found the W571 - 24 card set in a warehouse. John

[Johnphotoman]

As I have gathered information and facts on Bond Bread cards, it seems like the controversy could be cleared up. So why after all these years do we still have misinformation and controversy surrounding Bond Bread cards? One answer that was obvious from the posts on Ted Z post; Card set identification was the cause of much confusion. Think about it…How do we as collectors identify cards we collect? Through reference books. Two of the best books we use as collectors for reference; The American Card Catalog and the Standard Catalog of Vintage of Baseball Cards we use to organize our collection has had a hand in that controversy around Bond Bread cards.

(ACC) The American Card Catalog - a reference book that catalogs and organizes American trading cards produced before 1951. Which is considered a classic collectors' guide and is often referred to as the "bible" of card collecting.

The Standard Catalog of Vintage of Baseball Cards, a price guide that provides a comprehensive guide to Baseball cards. Collectors use its many listings as the standard listing for baseball cards. The Standard Catalog of Vintage Baseball Cards, said its own listings rely heavily upon card set identification which originated in the “American Card Catalog”.

Therefore, we can blame some of the confusion on the catalogs and reference books we as collectors use to organize our collection. As I said, two of the main books (The American Card Catalog and the Standard Catalog of Vintage of Baseball Cards), used in collecting trading cards are in part responsible for much of the controversy that has developed around Bond Bread and its cards. Now don’t get me wrong…we could not understand half of what we know without those catalogs. But I and others believe that an update is due in the way those catalogs identify some cards and not just Bond Bread. For us who collect Bond Bread cards, the main question for those catalogs: should cards that were never inserted into loaves of Bond Bread be called Bond Bread cards?

According to The American Card Catalog and the Standard Catalog of Vintage of Baseball Cards, it appears to be yes: It does seem okay to identify cards never inserted into loaves of Bond Bread or issued by Bond Bread to be called Bond Bread cards. But is this the right way to identify cards? Meaning has the two main catalogs really identify all the cards into the right sets. Does new information call for a change as to the way we as collectors want to identify our cards? Yes, I believe we should change some of the card's identification.

Card set identification is one of the most important things we can do as collectors. Using set identification as the guide then we should make changes to how we identify and categorize what we now call “Bond Bread” cards. All the cards we place under the umbrella of Bond Bread should be placed in their proper category. I believe we can now place many of the cards in their own category that would make more sense in identifying those cards.

Understand one problem with set-identification is there are many other similar looking cards from very different issues that are now identified as Bond Bread. However, we can now identify cards previously identified as Bond Bread cards into different sets, or subsets. Many cards are frequently misidentified as "Bond Bread" cards by collectors, leading to debate all because they look the same, (have the same images) or fall under the category used in the American Card Catalog and the Standard Card Catalog of Vintage Baseball Cards as D305/W571 among others.

When it comes to organizing baseball cards, the first step is figuring out how you want to categorize them. Thanks to the American Card Catalog and the Standard Card Catalog of Vintage Baseball Cards it is a little easier. Of course there are many methods to choose from. It truly depends on what you’re collecting, why you’re collecting them and what you want to say about them. For many of us classification of baseball cards is based on the categories found in the American Card Catalog (ACC).

The ACC is known for its categorization of baseball cards, but it also catalogs non-sports cards. The book provides reference numbers for sets, such as D305/W571 for Bond Bread. These reference numbers are still used today. Most of you know, the D reference category classification stands for in The American Card Catalog designation for bakery / bread cards.” And “W” The designation for strip cards / exhibits

Therefore, Bond Bread D305 classification in the American Card Catalog is “Bakery”. Bond Bread W571 in the Standard Card Catalog of Vintage Baseball Cards is designation for strip cards / exhibits. That means according to the two catalogs anyway: Bond Bread cards are either Bakery cards, strip cards or Exhibits.

But we now understand the only true Bond Bread cards are D305,D302 and D301. W571 should be called Arrco cards, (previously Bond Bread). Should we change the way we identify the cards we call Bond Bread? John.