1936 La Salle Hats Boxing Set and Checklist

Posted on December 2, 2016 by Pre-War Cards

It’s in the Details

Title	La Salle Hats Boxing
Year	1936
Size	2″ x 3″
Images	Black and White
Type	Miscellaneous
Number in Set	8

1936 La Salle Hats Boxing Overview

1936 La Salle Hats Boxing This rare set was issued in 1936 by the La Salle Hat Company. Based in Philadelphia, that company distributed these cards featuring eight lightweight boxers.

The cards themselves are basic. The fronts feature black and white pictures of the boxers along with their name and title reign at the bottom. The set was look back of sorts, as it included cards of past lightweight champions through history. It also included a card of Lou Ambers, then the world champion. Backs of the cards are blank.

An envelope was used for the cards with a short description on it. Printed on the outside, the company called this, ‘A picture collection of famous lightweight champs furnished with the compliments of La Salle Hat Company, Philadelphia.’ The exact mode of distribution for these cards, however, is unknown. It is not clear if they were simply given to anyone or if a purchase was required.

One interesting note here is that the cards do not appear to have been limited to only the Philadelphia area. We know that from the envelopes which, in addition to stating the cards are with the compliments of the hat company, also add, ‘and _____________.’ The blank line represents a blank box printed on the envelopes and specific stores used that area to either stamp or print their own name.

Those stores were likely distributors and the envelope was used much in the way that late 1800s trade cards were used – cards with stock images that used by a variety of businesses. As this auction indicates with an envelope stamped by an Ohio business, the cards were likely distributed outside of Philadelphia. While I have listed this set in the Miscellaneous (U-Card) section, it could also be considered a trade card issue.

These cards are not easy to come by. Finding one is an achievement and finding a complete set is extremely difficult.