April 5th Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/6/2013
This 1952 Tip Top Bread Label set is missing only Andy Pafko to be complete. What is included in this near set is a bit out of the ordinary; there is an additional Rizzuto label that has distinctly different cropping to the image than the one more frequently seen, a typed out checklist on Ward Baking Company's (makers of Tip Top bread) letter head and the original envelope which it was mailed in. This set is absolutely brand new to the hobby and comes to us from the family of the original collector of these bread labels. Due to the accompanying letter/checklist and the fact that this set has never been handled in any "hobby" transaction before, this near set provides a very special and unique opportunity to collectors. By the nature of the way 1952 Tip Top bread labels were distributed virtually none of the labels left the factory in what modern collectors consider high-grade. These labels were affixed to the ends of loaves of bread to seal their packaging. Furthermore, removing the glued on fragile labels from the rest of the bread packaging with minimal damage would have taken a surgeon's touch. Removing the labels with no damage would've been virtually impossible. This particular set would be considered high-grade by advanced collectors within the hobby. By the standards set forth by the third party grading companies, the labels within this set would likely grade between Fair (1.5) and VG (3). Grading these labels by the same standards as a standard card almost seems unfair. The players represented and their condition are as follows: Fair or lesser (10 labels) Bauer (slight tear), Brissie (tear), Groth (corner missing), Hearn, Jansen (slight tear), Leonard (missing corner), Mueller (slight tear), Rizzuto-NY visible on jersey (slight tear), Scarborough (tear), and Vernon (missing corner). Fair+ to Good: (18 labels) Berra, Dickson, Gordon, Hermanski, Lockman, Mantle (barely visible, approx. 1/16" tear at bottom), McDougald, Porterfield, Raffensberger, Reynolds, Rizzuto, Roberts, Rogovin, Schoendienst, Slaughter, Spahn, Westrum, and Yost. VG or better (many nicer): (19 labels) Branca, Campanella, Cavarreta, Fain, Furillo, Garver, Hamner, Hodges, Joost, Kell, Lopat, Maglie, Mitchell, Sisler, Snider, Stephens, Torgeson, Waitkus, and Zarilla. We ask that all potential bidders please keep in mind that we tried to be conservative when grading these labels. By anyone's definition this is a world-class collection of Tip-Top labels.
This lot has a Reserve Price that has not been met.