Clay and Bock Film Scenes Set and Checklist

Posted on May 9, 2020 by Pre-War Cards

‘It’s In The Details’

Title	Clay and Bock Film Scenes
Year	c1924
Size	1 7/8″ x 2 9/16″
Images	Black and White
Type	Tobacco
Number in Set	Unknown

Clay and Bock Film Scenes Overview

Information on this set is not easy to come by. It is a tobacco card set issued out of Cuba and the cards are rarely seen in the U.S.

While it is primarily a non-sports set, some sports cards have made their way into the set as boxing great Jack Dempsey is featured on several cards. Dempsey is in the set for his appearance in a 1924 film called “Fight to Win.”

Fronts of the cards include black and white pictures (though other shades have been reported) from movies while backs identify the film’s star and include the Henry Clay and Bock & Co. Ltd. name, indicating that was the distributor. The company was based out of Havana. Some backs mention a ‘Serie’ number while others do not. That appears to be exclusive. In other words, cards with backs with numbers are not also found without numbers — it is one or the other.

Many collectors prioritize these cards, believing they could be considered close to being Dempsey rookie cards. That is because the set is often listed as a 1921 set. However, it cannot possibly have been produced that early as the Dempsey film was not released until 1924. If the cards were issued over several years, they must have at least spanned through 1924 and the Dempsey cards should not be considered to have been issued any earlier than that.

Still, they are highly sought after by boxing fans and low-grade cards from the set featuring Dempsey start around $50 range.

Fans looking for a Dempsey card should be careful. Backs of the Fight to Win cards identify Dempsey as being a star in the film. However, all of the cards may not necessarily picture him. The cards in the set have the star listed on the back but that star is not always shown on the front.