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Card # 1
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Cigar Box Tops
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| Player |
Position |
Team |
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Mordecai BROWN (HOF)
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On mound, arm outstretched, large inner label
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Chicago Cubs
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| Top Auction Price |
Total Sold |
Avg # Bids |
Avg # Bidders |
Last Sold |
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$ 594.00
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1
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16
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12
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February 5, 2025
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Comments on this Card
On what should be the inside label we have the great pitcher on the mound, finishing a toss. Faux gems cover the sky, grass and other elements of the image. Paper print mounted to wood; edges are covered with matched theme advertising tape. Dark green official tape reading "Helmar" and "The Flavor of the Game". Reverse (what would be the top of the box) has a hand-pulled relief print with related image of Brown and "Mordecai Brown Smokes". Relief print block carved by C. Mandel and pulled from a circa 1910 laundry shirt cuff press that was adapted to cylinder printing circa 1950.
About 7.5" square.
About the Player
A short bio from the Helmar-R319 card back: Mordecai hails from Indiana coal country, hence the nick name “Miner”. As a youngster he worked for a mining company as a record keeper. Joining the company ball team led to a pitching slot in 1901 with the Terre Haute Hottentots in the IIIL league. He won 25 against 8 while throwing more than 300 innings. This success, along with his 27 wins with the Omaha Indians the following year, propelled him to his current lofty status as one of the premier hurlers in the National League. “Three-Finger” has a wicked curve ball that no batter has ever figured out. He is 5 feet, 10 inches tall and 175 pounds.
About the Series
A century ago one could purchase cigars nearly everywhere. Some 26,000 manufacturers battled for retail shelf space. In this intense landscape fortunes could be won or lost depending not only on the tobacco quality but the product packaging. This series explores designs that we wish had been made. Note: The paper prints of Inner Labels are 6"x6". Outer Labels are 5.5"x4.5". Generally they are on the same size wood.
Related Cards in the Series
You can click the thumbnail images to see a larger image of that card!
Also, click on card number to see card information or player name to see player information page!
| Cigar Box Tops, Chicago Cubs |
| Card # | Thumbnail Pic | Player Name | Position | Top Auction Price |
| 1 |   | BROWN, Mordecai | On mound, arm outstretched, large inner label | $ 594.00 |
| 2 |   | BROWN, Mordecai | His hand with baseball, "Rain Delay", large inner label | $ 424.00 |
| 3 |   | BROWN, Mordecai | 3 finger grip on ball; gold rectangles. Inner label. | $ 0.00 |
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