Let’s rehash the Bond Bread controversy.

[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.