Rant Incoming

Allow me to rant for a moment.

This encapsulates, for me anyways, what is infuriating about the modern trading card hobby. This card is a framed original buyback from the 2019 Topps Allen &Ginter set.  It is a 1/1.  What makes me mad about it? Let me count the ways:

1.   Artificial scarcity. Don't get me wrong, I am not unilaterally opposed to scarcity. Chase cards make collecting fun. But, in an era where player (or team) collecting is common, it gets to a point where scarcity devolves into a vehicle for separating people from their money.  When I see some of the prices rare modern cards go for, particularly for the player du jour or the current hot prospect, I have to shake my head because it is most likely going to be a depreciable asset.
   
   There is a reason players like Mike Trout are known as generational talents. Joe Shlabotnick, who hit .325 in A ball, maybe hot in this years Bowman, but he still is unlikely to make it to the majors. Let's not even talk about the odds of having a yeoman's career. And make the Hall of Fame? Forget about it. Go ahead and spend $1000s on that 1/1 and feel free to brag about it on the Blowout forum.  When Joe washes out after a mediocre season with the AA Chattanooga Lookouts two years hence, you can probably use that card to level out a wobbly end table.
   
2. Making old new.  I am mainly a set collector. But, I do have two player collections: Paul Blair and Johnny Antonelli.  When I look at the cards listed on the Trading Card Database, I see that I have well over half of the listed cards for these two men.  I don't expect I'd ever get to 100% because some of the cards listed were regional issues that are extremely rare. But, there is another things stopping me from getting there: vintage cards that Topps bought back, stamped it with some silver foil and sold it again in modern products.  I just don't get Buybacks.
   
   Similarly,  the card above is over 130 years old.  It is spectacular on it's own.  Is there really a significant population of modern collectors who think taking it and encasing it in a cardboard frame and stamping it 1/1 makes it even more valuable?  I guess there is. Just don't count me amongst them.
   
3. Prices. This is probably less a standalone issue as it is the manif estation of the two previous points.  While I won't pretend to being the most knowledgeable person about the 19th Century A&G issues, I can state that the card above is no more or less rare than any of the other cards in the 50 card Fans of the Period set.  And, in the condition shown, I would probably be willing to pay between $12 and $15 delivered.  So, what justifies the asking price?  Is the seller just showing off and not actually wanting to sell?  Does he think he'll actually get that price?  Is there anyone who would actually pay it?

I've stopped buying from COMC as the prices being asked for cards I need for my vintage sets are out of line with what I can pay at in-person shows.  But, I did see another "raw" Fans card on the site which is more in line with the current market. See for yourself:

There is no way I'd spend over 10 times what the card is worth just because Topps put a frame around it and stamped it as a 1/1.  If you want to, have at it. But, I will judge you harshly. Okay, rant over.  I've said this before, but I'll be glad when all the Johnny-come-lately investor/collectors move on to the next big thing.

What I am listening to: It's the End of the World As We Know It by R.E.M.

Topps Wasn't The First

I've been around trading card blogs long enough to have seen a few complaints about how Topps keeps re-using images in multiple sets across a number of years.  This is something you may hear from team or player collectors,  I was struck today that this isn't an issue particular to Topps or even to modern trading card issues.

As you may know, I have a side collection of horse themed tobacco cards. I had recently acquired the 25 card 1926 British American Tobacco Prominent Racehorses set.  I was getting ready to put it in sheets and add it to my binder, but needed to move the collection to a larger binder first.  As I was moving the pages from one binder to the other, I saw something familiar.  A sheet of cards that looked identical to my new set; the 1926 Ogden's Derby Entrants  I normally check what I have before bidding on something, so I don't end up with duplicates. So, I had a sinking feeling that I messed up.  That is, until I looked closer. See for yourself.

So, I was relieved that they were different sets, but they did have identical card numbers.  So, it did raise a question in my mind as to how they were related.  Here is what I found.  Ogden's was a 19th Century British tobacco company. In 1901 it was bought by the American Tobacco Company.  Also in 1901, the Imperial Tobacco Company was formed by the merger of 13 different British tobacco companies; most notably W.D. & H.O. Wills and John Player.  The following year, American and Imperial formed a joint venture: the British-American Tobacco Company.  The joint venture was to do business globally, but not in either of the partners home territories.  

In 1911, the American Tobacco Company became one of the early victims of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act and was ordered to dissolve (on the same day as the more well known Standard Oil.)  Presumably as part of the dissolution, American Tobacco sold off it's shares in B.A. T.  So, these two card sets that were issued 15 years subsequent, were both associated with the Imperial Tobacco brand.  

So, there you have it. Laziness in the production of trading cards is, at least, a century long phenomenon. 

What I am listening to:  Sing Along by Sturgill Simpson

Collecting Intersects with My Childhood and My Current Life

When I was but a boy, my family would spend a week in the Thousand Islands for vacation each summer.  We stayed in small cottages on Dingman Point Road just a short trip from Alexandria Bay. I think most of my fondest childhood memories were from there.  One of those memories is watching ships pass through our view as the navigated the St Lawrence Seaway to and from the Great Lakes.

So, image my delight when I looked through the 1931 W.D. & H.O. Will's Strange Craft tobacco card set and found this:

Fast forward to last week. I was back in Ohio visiting my mother for her birthday.  Although I grew up in Rochester, all my immediate family now lives in Cleveland (long story.)  Anyways, the Great Lakes Science Center has a restored Great Lakes Freighter as part of their collection, the William G Mather. I've never been able to work out a visit for a variety of reasons. But, this time I was able to go and see it.  If you ever find yourself in Cleveland in the summer, I highly recommend it. It sits on the north edge of downtown with a nice view of First Energy Stadium, where the Browns play.

Anyways, I spent a couple hours wandering around the good ship and here are a few pictures:

What I am listening to: Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot (of course)

So Far Off Topic That I am Back On

It's still fairly quiet on the hobby front.  We've just about clawed out of the hole left by the issues that came up in our recent home improvement project.  Add in an unexpected vet bill and I've been mainly on the sidelines.  I did, however, participate in the recent Vintage Non-Sports Auction. 

I threw out some lowball bids and actually managed to win the following two cards for $25.

I was mainly interested in the N32 World's Racer card.  I already have 5 cards from this 50 card set, issued in 1888. But, I have to say that the N7 Fans of the Period card is actually my favorite of the two. I can't explain why, it just is. It has this feel of Victorian gentility, though I am not sure that is quite it.  I just like it.  

Which brings me to the rather cryptic title of this post.  I still consider myself a sports card collector.  I have finished 10 of the 28 Topps flagship sets issued between 1952 and 1979 (1956 and 1971-1979),  am within striking distance of two more (1968 and 1970), and have three more in various states of being started (1955, 1960, and 1965).  But I have found some needed hobby joy in the sheer randomness of collecting these old tobacco issues.  

To a certain extent, building sports card sets is a restricting hobby. To be sure, you can define your collection any way you want. But, once you do, you have set the boundaries of what you collect.  There is a defined group of sets with a fixed checklist.  I suppose player collectors are similarly constrained.  I can see where team collectors may have some additional freedom, but are still, ultimately, contained within a box of their own creation.

Collecting these tobacco issues, though, has opened up a whole world to me. If you can imagine a subject, there is probably a tobacco issue covering it.  I started out wanting to only collect horse themed sets, since my wife and I have a small horse farm.  But, I have learned to embrace serendipity and just collect sets that speak to me.  At some point, I will put together a post (or posts) about tobacco issues that appeal to me.  Suffice it to say, there is some cool stuff out there.

Until then...

What I am Listening to: A Stór Mo Chroí by Bonnie Raitt and The Chieftains

1912 Wills Governor Generals

Hobby activity has slowed down a bit recently.  We are in the midst of our annual spring home improvement period.  This year we are finally breaking down and getting the house resided.  The current siding was in mediocre condition when we bought the farm 15 years ago and it has only gotten worse.  So, it was time.  

I have had a few low budget pick ups recently, but I am mainly getting my want lists together.  For years, my show experience has only been the local OKC shows.  Last years trip to the National was my first show outside my home base.  I won't be attending National this year, but like the idea of expanding my show experience. So, the last Saturday in April, I'll be venturing down to the DFW area (Frisco, to be specific) for a good sized show. My main goal will be to make significant progress  on my 1968 and 1970 Topps sets, for which I am 63 and 95 cards, respectively, from completion.

In the mean time, here is a quick little post of a fun little set I found on eBay.  It is a 25 card set (I have 10 at the moment) cataloging the various British Governor Generals of India (also known as Viceroys of India) from 1774 through 1912, the year W.D. & H.O. Wills  issued these cards with their Scissors brand cigarettes.  This set seems such an anachronism today, as Great Britain is on the verge of leaving the European Union, likely putting the final nail in the coffin of the British Empire.  

A lot of acronyms there.  For shits and giggles, let's see what they are.

K.P. - The Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick

G.C.B. - Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath

G.C.M.G. - Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St, Michael and St. George

G.M.S.I. - Grand Master of the Order of the Star of India

G.M.I.E. - Grand Master of the Order of the Indian Empire

Dude had a lot of titles. I hope he didn't have to pay dues for all those societies.   Frederick Temple Hamilton-Blackwood was reputedly a poor money manager and, later in life, was used as the marketing face of a mining company that was merely a vehicle for fraud by other investors.

Anyways, that's all for now.

What I am listening to: Dead City by Patti Smith

T62 Turkish Trophies Fortune Series

Here is an interesting set: the Turkish Trophies Fortune series, issued by the S. Anargyros Famous Cigarettes company in 1910 and designated T62 by Jefferson Burdick.  At the time,  Anargyros was part of the American Tobacco conglomerate. The cards themselves fit fit nicely in a 9 pocket page, being only slightly less tall than the standard modern card.  As with most such tobacco cards, the back is an advertisement for the company. 

This set, in it's own way, predicts the crazy parallels nonsense we see in modern cards.  The whole set consists 101 different images, with each image being printed with 5 different fortunes on them, making for a 505 card set.  Additionally, each card has a thin embossed gold line between the border and the image foreshadowing the gold parallels to come.

Not all of the images are horse themed, but I have identified a number (13, I think, but I am not at home to consult my checklist spreadsheet) and will certainly collect them.  You can see the entire checklist here.  It shows the description of each of the 101 main cards, with the first few words of the several associated fortunes underneath.  As you will see, some of the scenes depicted run to the mundane (i.e. Bank depositor in top hat w/ friend making transaction w/ teller in cage and Business man at desk on telephone, blue suit)  But that quirkiness does make it oddly appealing and I don't preclude putting the entire set together.

While I only have a few of these so far, most of the fortunes do give a positive message but, as you can see from the one immediately above, there is at least one that offers cautionary advice.  Good advise, to be sure.

What I am listening to: When the Stars Come Out by Chris Stapleton

 

1905 John Player Riders of the World

It's been two weeks since I hinted at this post, so I supposed I really need to get it out of the way. I have a number of other acquisitions to share, so I need to knock this one off.

The set is the 1905 UK release from John Player & Sons tobacco company called Riders of the World. It is a 50 card celebrating riders from all over the world, from the UK to America and the Caucasus and Sri Lanka.  That last sentence may seem poorly written with it's awkward reference to 'riders', but there is a reason for that.

I acquired this set as part of my horse themed tobacco card collection, but not all of the cards feature horses, as you will see below.

And here they are:

The two cards in the set that don't feature horses.  They should present me something of a dilemma in that they don't really fit into a horse themed collection. But, I am first, and foremost, a set collector. So, they stay in the binder, with their set mates.

The set itself does present the completist in me with another challenge.  There are, at least 6 other versions of this set.  There are three versions issued by John Player: the brown backs seen above, along with a white back and plain back variations.  W.D. &  H.O. Wills issued this set in Australia in 1913 and across the Tasmanian Sea in New Zealand in 1926.  And, finally (as far as I know), United Tobacco issued two versions of this set in South Africa in 1931.  

I really can't see myself trying to acquire a copy of every variation, though I could get one version from each unique country, or perhaps just one English version and one copy of the South African version, which I assume is in Afrikaaner.  For right now, I'll just stick with the one and only expand the number of versions in my collection if I an do so affordably.

What I am listening to: The L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore by Billy Bragg and Joe Henry

A Familiar Name

If the baseball card blogosphere is to be believed, one of the most anticipated Topps releases each year is the quirky Allen & Ginter set.  As most of you know Allen and Ginter was a 19th Century American tobacco company that issued a large number of trading card sets during it's short life from 1872 until 1890, when it was part of the multi-company merger that formed the American Tobacco Company.

According to the American Tobacco Cards Price Guide and Checklist book,  A&G produced card series N1 through N68, with 5 designations in that series unused.  What follows are cards from the N32 series, The World's Racers, that was issued in 1888.

These cards are on a nice heavy stock and are all in good shape considering that they are 131 years old.  The backs show a checklist of the subjects of the 50 card series.  Each of the 5 cards above show some level of minor paper loss indicating that they may have been mounted at one time.

Up next: A slightly younger (only 114 years old!) British issue

What I am listening to: Sailing to Philadelphia by Mark Knopfler

When is a T Card not a T Card?

I realize that I am going heavy into my horse themed tobacco card set and have virtually ignored my sports card collection.  I am guessing this turn doesn't interest many of you, so I feel a quick explanation is in order.

I haven't forsaken my sports card collection, but I have put it on hold for a short time. I have been going to the OKC card show 4-6 times a year since 2011.  I've also been a periodic attendee at a very small monthly show at a local LCS. Both show are pretty much always the same sellers and while their inventory does change, they are routine experiences.  That isn't bad, but sometimes I'll go a couple shows without making progress on my sets.  I've only attended one non-local show and that was the National last year in Cleveland. I intend to change that.

While the Tristar show in Houston is a tempting destination, it is also a 7 hour drive from here.  That distance makes it, at a minimum. an overnight stay.  I'm not ready to take on that expense. So, I've decided that I may go to a show in the Dallas area on February 16 (proximity to Valentines Day may alter that plan.) It is a small show, with only 45 tables, but with different sellers it may be productive.  Because it is in the North Dallas suburbs, I am only looking at a 3 hour drive which means I can do it in a day.  Additionally, there is a larger, 200 table show in Dallas from April 26-28 that I may also go to.

Anyways, back to the subject at hand.  The post title may seem cryptic, but it is a marginally clever play on words.  Most of the cards in this collection have been the traditional Jefferson Burdick cataloged T (for tobacco) cards.  The cards I am about to show are not amongst those T cards.

So, when is a T card not a T card?  When they are tea cards. (Geddit?)

These cards were distributed with Typhoo tea in Great Britain in 1935.

Typhoo tea was created in 1903 by John Sumner, Jr the proprietor of a pharmacy/grocery in Birmingham, England for sale in his store. As these things are wont to do, Typhoo has changed hands numerous times over the years. It was part of Cadbury-Schweppes from the late-60s through the mid-80s.  It still exists as a brand controlled by the Indian company, Apeejay Surrendra Group.

While I have not done significant research into their card offerings, it does appear that they did offer cards with their products from the mid 1920s through the 1930s and again from the mid1950s through at least 1976, when they actually offered a Doctor Who set.

The cards are approximately 1-7/16" by 3-7/8" in size. As such they don't fit into any available storage sheet.  I have had to put them into a 6 pocket sheet, which is both too wide and too tall for the cards, but it was the best I could find.

This set, 25 cards strong, has horses as the subject. Although it is a bit odd that some cards focus on various breeds of horses, while others focus on horses by their use.  You can samples of each above,

The back is basically an advertisement for where the Typhoo customer can purchase golf and/or tennis balls.  Go figure.

What I am listening to: East Side of Town by Lucinda Williams

1927 Josetti Show Jumping

Many of these tobacco sets I have been working on are from outside the United States.  I've only showed a few so far, but only one was from the US (N231 Kinney Brothers Great American Trotters.)  The others have all been from Great Britain.  Today, we are going to adventure across the Channel and show a small set from Germany: the 1927 Josetti Show Jumping Series, consisting of only 6 cards.

The cigarette manufacturing company was formed in Berlin in 1888 by Oskar Josetti, but he sold out in 1892 when he emigrated to the United States.The company continued and in 1896 introduced the popular JUNO cigarette.

The company itself was run, starting in 1905 by an affiliate of the American Tobacco Company. This continued for 10 years, until Deutsche Bank bought out the foreign shareholders. It became part of the Reemtsma company in the mid 1920s and continued production of JUNO until 1943 when, apparently, the factory fell victim to an Allied air raid.  Production began again in 1951 and continued until 2016.

The stock for this set is rather thin.  It is more akin to heavy magazine stock than what you would typically associated with a tobacco card.  Perhaps the thin stock inhibited a lot of handling, as the cards I received are in excellent condition.

This guy above better be careful. His leg is swung back behind the girth leaving him off balance and without a base of support.. If the horse stumbles on the landing, he is dismounting in a rather spectacular, and ultimately painful manner.

There is an interesting story behind this card.  The subject, Prince Friedrich Sigismund died on July 6 of 1927, the year this set was issued.  He was riding in an international competition in Lucerne, Switzerland when he fell from his horse. He got his foot caught in a stirrup and ended up underneath the horse where he was trampled, sustaining significant thoracic injuries that he succumbed to shortly thereafter.  I find this somewhat ironic because, of the several cards in this set, his depicts the rider with the best and safest position over the jump.

Coming up next, we'll go to the mid 1930s and take an ever so slight detour from tobacco cards.

What I am listening to: Thumbelina by The Pretenders