Where were the 1928 Sociedade Industrial dos Tabacos de Angola produced/distributed?

[Tom S.]

Brian,

I don't have any idea for sure where the Sociedade Industrial cards may have been produced. Since that set does not limit itself to baseball-only cards (due to its connection to the Tabacalera La Morena set), Angola may still be the source of the Sociedade cards though.

In the 2020 Heritage Summer Sports Card Auction currently underway, there is a large group of 75 Tabacalera cards (Lot #56666) that encompass a wide spectrum of other sporting endeavors (boxing, soccer, wrestling, tennis, track & field, swimming, cycling, hockey, etc.); some of which might have been of interest to your average Angolan at the time.

[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by Tom S.

Brian,

I don't have any idea for sure where the Sociedade Industrial cards may have been produced. Since that set does not limit itself to baseball-only cards (due to its connection to the Tabacalera La Morena set), Angola may still be the source of the Sociedade cards though.

In the 2020 Heritage Summer Sports Card Auction currently underway, there is a large group of 75 Tabacalera cards (Lot #56666) that encompass a wide spectrum of other sporting endeavors (boxing, soccer, wrestling, tennis, track & field, swimming, cycling, hockey, etc.); some of which might have been of interest to your average Angolan at the time.

It does seem odd to me that these sets that share the same subjects/images would be issued during the same year on different continents. I guess it could happen, but to me it feels unlikely. Definitely baseball is not the main focus in these sets, but there is enough that you would think at least the Tabacalera set was created first, being that baseball had a substantial presence in Latin America and a fair amount of interest in US baseball (I think there are 25 baseball cards in the set), compared to what I assume was minimal amount of interest/exposure in Angola.

Brian

[Exhibitman]

I've acquired a number of the boxing cards over the years. Several came from sellers in Spain and Portugal. Angola was a Portuguese colony and tobacco was grown there and exported back to Europe. I think it likely that the cards were made in Portugal for inclusion in packets of ciggies made from Angolan tobacco.

As far as art-sharing with the La Morena set, that too was not unknown. There is a common German set from the late 1920s, Die Welt Im Bildern, from a Dresden manufacturer. The same artwork was used in a rare South American set called "Chilena Dos Tabacos". The artwork from the rare E211 York Caramel boxing set was used for an even rarer 1931 tobacco set from Venezuela, issued by a company called Bigott.

That offering in Heritage is stunning, BTW, some major eye candy well worth checking out. I really wish they'd busted them up more into singles. I'd be all over several of them.

[brianp-beme]

Thanks for providing a broader perspective Adam. I guess the world was a smaller place than I imagined in 1928.

So if I am correct, you believe these Sociedade cards were produced AND distributed in Portugal, and were packaged with tobacco product that originated in Angola?

Brian

[Exhibitman]

I think the Angola cards were made in Europe for insertion with colonial tobacco that was imported to Europe. I have no hard evidence, just an inference based on where the cards I found originated 15-20 years ago.

Other examples of cross-pollination of cards:

--Lambert & Butler made a common set of athlete cards in the late 1920s for the UK. A rare brand variant, Machado Tobacco, came from Jamaica. Same art, just different branding.

--Ogdens made a ubiquitous set of boxing cards for the UK around 1901. A different series of the same design was made in Sydney for Australia.

I checked the WTI and it lists the La Morenas as from Barcelona and Venezuela. Not sure where that came from but I would not be surprised if they were made in Barcelona. I am dubious of the Venezuela part. That country has had a pretty good pipeline of cards into the USA via eBay over the last decade or so, and none of them have turned up. The WTI doesn't list the set itself under the La Morena index. The ACC also is silent on the issue.

Some of this stuff is probably beyond anyone's ability to research and prove.

[glchen]

When I bought a few of these on ebay in 2013, I believe it was a European seller who said he bought them at a flea market in Portugal. I also have the "weird" one from Leon's Heritage auction a few years ago. They are definitely interesting cards. I've also added a Tabacalera so folks can compare the different Ruth versions.

[Exhibitman]

Those are great! One thing for sure about both issues is that they are tough.

ETA: there is also a second series of the Sociedade cards with white borders. No baseball but there is a Max Schmeling.

[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by glchen

When I bought a few of these on ebay in 2013, I believe it was a European seller who said he bought them at a flea market in Portugal. I also have the "weird" one from Leon's Heritage auction a few years ago. They are definitely interesting cards. I've also added a Tabacalera so folks can compare the different Ruth versions.

Thanks Gary for another confirmation, along with Adam's, of the European origin of these cards. And with the Portuguese on back, it certainly points to Portugal.

Let us now all take a moment to point our fingers at Portugal.

Brian

[Leon]

Originally Posted by glchen

When I bought a few of these on ebay in 2013, I believe it was a European seller who said he bought them at a flea market in Portugal. I also have the "weird" one from Leon's Heritage auction a few years ago. They are definitely interesting cards. I've also added a Tabacalera so folks can compare the different Ruth versions.

Those are great cards. Thanks for sharing. I think I might recognize one...and congrats on the card from my first collection. It's awesome.

.

[Catfish Fran]

That's right!

Originally Posted by brianp-beme

Thanks for providing a broader perspective Adam. I guess the world was a smaller place than I imagined in 1928.

So if I am correct, you believe these Sociedade cards were produced AND distributed in Portugal, and were packaged with tobacco product that originated in Angola?

Brian

[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by brianp-beme:

Thanks for providing a broader perspective Adam. I guess the world was a smaller place than I imagined in 1928.

So if I am correct, you believe these Sociedade cards were produced AND distributed in Portugal, and were packaged with tobacco product that originated in Angola?

Originally Posted by Catfish Fran

That's right!

Nice to see an 'abroad' perspective on these from a poster from that region of the world. Any insider information you would like to share with us?


Brian

[glchen]

A few more of these "weird" Sociedade variations.