1946 “American Card Catalog,” “American Tobacco Cards” and Celebrity Autographs.
Lot 350. 1946 “American Card Catalog,” “American Tobacco Cards” and Celebrity Autographs. This collection of three publications has something for both sports and non-sport collectors, including the 1946 inaugural edition of “The American Card Catalog.” An earlier version was published in 1939 as “The United States Card Collectors Catalog.” J. R. Burdick created this 144-page guide to sports and non-sport cards. It became the foundation for subsequent, more exhaustive collector references. This softcover guide is vg+ to ex, complete with a small crease in the upper right corner and uneven toning on the first 10 and last eight pages. Accompanying the catalog is photocopy version of the “Directory of the J. R. Burdick (Card) Collection” in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The 28-page publication includes a thoughtful tribute to Burdick, who died in 1963, and an overview of the collection by Burdick. Vg+ to ex. “American Tobacco Cards” by Robert Forbes & Terence Mitchell is a wonderful guide to non-sport cards that were issued by tobacco companies from the 1870s through the early 1900s. This 464-page softcover 1999 guide, in an 8.75” x 10.5” format, contains checklists for many sets and is nicely, extensively illustrated. Nm. Also, “Signatures of the Stars” by Kevin Martin, 208-page softcover, with examples and descriptions of celebrity autographs from Abbott and Costello through Bruce Willis. The book covers Legends of Hollywood, Legendary Directors, members of selected movie and TV casts, and some Rock & Roll Hall of Fame members. Ex. Winning Bid $152.
