Pre-War Deep Dive: REA Spring Catalog Auction
Pre-War Deep Dive: REA Spring Catalog Auction
When the REA Spring Catalog Auction launched we reviewed some of the top-tier items, most of which would require six-figure bids to get in the mix. Here we’ll look at some more accessible items that offer a similar level if intrigue for the pre-war collectible enthusiast.
The Great Bambino is all over this auction, headlined by the 1916 Morehouse Baking, 1917 Collins-McCarthy, and 1933 Goudey Sport Kings examples. Here, however, we have an extremely rare high-quality postcard-sized premium card issued by the Worch Cigar Company of St. Paul, Minnesota. Ruth, of course, is the key card from this very scarce premium tobacco set, which was made available only by mail. The real-photo sepia-toned image features Ruth in his classic batting pose. This same pose was also used in R316. Ruth’s name and team appear in the lower-right corner. The card is bright and clean, with even wear to the corners, a small crease on the right edge, and light soiling on the blank back. This is a very interesting set both because of the glossy real-photo high-quality of the issue, and the fact that it is the only American baseball-card tobacco issue of the era. By 1933, baseball-card issues by tobacco companies were the long-forgotten standard that had been replaced by cards issued with bubble gum and candy. Cards issued with tobacco were throwbacks to what was then “the old days,” and apparently it was not a particularly successful promotion as it lasted only a single year. Baseball cards were not issued with tobacco in America again until the Red Man Chewing Tobacco sets of the early 1950s. This is a particularly rare, extremely attractive, and noteworthy Babe Ruth card, dating from his playing days with the New York Yankees.
1909 E92 Croft’s Candy Ty Cobb
This is an outstanding example of Ty Cobb from the rare Croft’s Candy caramel set. This 1909 set shares designs with several other closely related candy issues (Dockman & Sons, Nadja Caramels, etc.) from the same era. The offered card exhibits vibrant colors, a strong image, moderate corner wear, and an unusually large and attractive top border. The card has a natural diamond cut along the top and bottom edges while the reverse displays bold black text. The pose on this card is found within several other sets (E105 Mello Mint, E101, and E102) and is considered by many to be one of Cobb’s most classic and desirable poses. Caramel cards in general are much rarer than tobacco cards of the era. Because they were issued with caramels one card per package and sold to children, as opposed to being sold to adults with tobacco, they also tend to survive in a much lower grade. This is an incredibly attractive mid-grade example of the legendary Ty Cobb from this rare candy issue, dating from the early days of Cobb’s Hall of Fame career.
1908 PC760 Rose Company Postcard Eddie Plank
This very attractive example of Hall of Fame pitcher Eddie Plank (Philadelphia Athletics) from the PC760 Rose Postcard set, one of the rarest and most beautifully designed baseball-card sets ever produced. This extremely rare card is exceptional and noteworthy on many counts, including the fact that the portrait used is the very same as that which appears on the famous T206 Plank. The card is bright and clean, both front and back, with a flawless portrait image, even corner wear, a couple minor creases, and evidence of corner mounts (more noticeable from the reverse). The card has never been mailed and has no writing on the reverse. This is one of only four examples of Plank ever graded by SGC (no PSA examples), and just the second ever handled by REA. Plank is of one of the key Hall of Famers from this beautiful and rare set and one that would make an outstanding addition to a PC760 set, Hall of Fame type-card or player collection.
1909-1910 E97 C. A. Briggs Co. Black-and-White “Proof” Willie Keeler
For more than thirty years, due to the natural desire of collectors to have a name by which to refer to them and a real interest in identifying the issue, these cards have been referred to as E97 “proof” cards. Offered here is a very attractive black-and-white example of Hall of Famer “Wee Willie” Keeler from this extremely rare set. The black-and-white variety cards are, in fact, not really E97 “proof” cards. This unusual issue is obviously related to E97s, and they do feature the same images as are found on E97 Briggs, but little else is known with certainty about them. Common speculation is that these are a candy issue unto themselves, possibly also issued by the C. A. Briggs Company. Because of hobby tradition, unless the true issuer is ever identified by newly discovered advertising or a package design, these will probably always be known as “E97 proofs.” The offered card has a crisp image, moderate wear on the corners and heavy creasing. The blank-backed reverse is lightly soiled and has evidence of pencil writing. This rarely offered card of the legendary “Wee Willie” Keeler from the very scarce black-and-white variety E97 Briggs set is one of the more intriguing lots in the auction.
Circa 1910 Nap Lajoie Notebook Cover
A remarkable relic! Offered here is a children’s notebook cover featuring Cleveland Hall of Famer Nap Lajoie, encapsulated as “Authentic” by PSA. The image of Lajoie on this notebook cover is exceptionally attractive and is part of a series of notebook covers with a design that collectors have long recognized as being reminiscent of a T3 Turkey Red cabinet card. Lajoie is pictured in uniform holding a bat, with a field and grandstand pictured in the background. The name “Lajoie” is printed in the lower right corner. In “the olden days,” notebooks with big stars and well-known players on their covers were very popular with youngsters at school. While many different cover designs exist for different players, this is the first example we have offered of this particular Lajoie cover. The cover (4.5 x 6.75 inches), which is printed on thin cardboard stock, has been trimmed to its current dimensions. Light rippling is evident throughout and there is evidence of album removal on the blank reverse. Despite the flaws, the central illustration remains bright and attractive, and is ideal for display. Technically modest in grade but still a very attractive example of this rarely seen cover.
We highly encourage you to visit the auction site and immerse yourself in an incredible array of collectibles from not just pre-war, but vintage and modern as well. Bidding ends Sunday, April 27th.
Interested in learning how much your cards are worth in the current market? Email pictures to REA for a no-obligation review!