Earl Hoellein, 1899 - 1995 Audubon, New Jersey

[CFerguson]

Thank you all for the comments about my Great Uncle Earl and his collection of tobacco cards.

I believe that no one is ever gone until they are forgotten, so passing these cards on to collectors who appreciate them will help keep the memory of Earl alive.

I wish I had taken the time to ask him about the history of the cards, but I didn’t know about them until after his death. Whenever I could make it up to see them in New Jersey, I engaged him and my great aunts with queries about ancient family history, and they regaled me with observations and details about their lives that often left me laughing, crying, and sometimes gasping! So I’m sure his recollections about his card collection would have been equally compelling and worth passing along. (I have this sneaking suspicion that he clipped a Honus Wagner card onto his bike and eventually tossed it after the spokes wore it out.)

I want to take this opportunity to thank Leon, who came to my aid many years ago when I first began researching the cards and whom I found again when I was finally willing to put them up for auction. He has been a joy to work with!

Carol