During the first three decades of the 20th century boxing postcards were the dominant form of boxing card. Thousands were issued ranging from personal cards made by boxers themselves to mass produced images of the biggest fights. The 1910 Fight Of The Century between Jack Johnson and Jim Jeffries gave rise to hundreds of cards, everything from whimsical cartoons to very ugly racist cards. Boxers also used postcards as promotional media for their side businesses and for answering fan mail. They are found with vintage autographs as a result of the latter practice, though sometimes secretarial. While postcards continue to be produced even today, the true heyday was in the 1920s, when cheap photographic processes made it economical for anyone who wanted to have real photo postcards made. I will be offering as wide a range of different boxing PCs as I can on this site for your edification and amusement. Please enjoy.
Album by Adam Warshaw. 1 - 297 of 297 Total. 143747 Visits.
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2 This 1906 postally used card commemorates the 42 round war between Joe Gans [HOF] and Battling Nelson [HOF].
3 1906 or earlier Joe Gans by Ben Michaels, San Francisco. On thick stock.
4 in 1905 San Francisco based publisher D & K issued a series of postcards related to the Britt-Nelson championship bout. Here are a few of them.
5 Another D & K. The west was a great boxing mecca in the early days and there was a burgeoning boxing postcard manufacturing base and market out west.
6 Postcard history is in part dictated by Federal law. In the latter part of the 19th century the US legalized private mailing cards. As legalized, the cards had to have one side reserved for address only. Any message had to be on the front. The law was changed effective 1907 to allow for the modern, split-back format.
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12 The next three images depict another Gans-Nelson card, this one has a slider that moves vertical black lines across the image opening resulting in a changing image of the two fighting.
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14 Mailed in May 1907
15 1906 PC promoting the Gans-Herman bout
16 The Max Stein company issued a series of athlete and other celebrity postcards. Their earliest efforts, ca. 1904.
17 The Fitzsimmons card surfaced in 2015.
18 Sullivan came to light in 2019
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21 Madison Square Garden, the Mecca of boxing, This mailing card-backed picture of the second [1890-1925] stadium of that name caught my eye because of the lower corner of the building, which plainly shows advertising for the Jim Corbett-Charlie McCoy bout on August 30, 1900. See the next image for a close-up.
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23 1906 Winthrop Moving Picture Post Card of George Dixon vs. Chester Leon. Surely one of the most creative PC formats ever, it is essentially a flip book. Winthrops are known with baseball subjects but this is the only known boxer. Measures 3 5/8” x 2 1/4"
24 An Australian oversized PC
25 Tom Sharkey, a heavyweight contender in the 19th century, owned a bar in New York and used this PC to promote it.
26 Another Sharkey PC, this one signed. It is from San Francisco rather than New York and post-dates the New York card.
27 This version of the card is signed and inscribed by former manager of the Jim Jeffries Barn boxing venue, Bill Aiton, who also played baseball in the majors. From the estate of Jeffries friend George Stewart
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29 A later Sharkey signed RPPC
30 A PC depicting a Battle Royal in Watongah, OK. Antebellum battles royal often appeared on the undercard of boxing matches with several blindfolded slaves fighting a last man standing format with the owner of the winner receiving a prize. After abolition, battles royal remained in the cards at Jim Crow events, albeit with gloves and the winner keeping his prize. Jack Johnson, Beau Jack and Joe Gans all fought them.
31 This one is postmarked 1909. A bit of advice for collectors looking to get into PCs: read. This postcard was essentially thrown away on eBay because of the condition but the seller did not read the inscription and did not realize it was written and signed by Billy Papke, a HOFer who died in the 1930s.
32 Starting around 1907 and continuing for at least several years, Jim Jeffries issued a set of postcards devoted to him and his business ventures in Los Angeles, primarily his bar on Spring Street downtown. This image is typical of the handsome cards produced by the Benham Indian Publishing Company (a Los Angeles publisher) for Jeff's use. Note that the swastika is a Native American good luck symbol.
33 This photo montage shows a complete set of the Benham Jeffries cards, though there are multiple printing variations on the card of the bar. The top right is my favorite--It shows Jeff at work on his farm in Burbank, California.
34 Close up of the On The Farm PC
35 A 1908 Jeffries bar PC
36 Another bar PC. There were a few variations on the theme, some of which are quite difficult to find.
37 This is a toughie.
38 A rare PC promoting Maier beer and the Jeffries bar.
39 This one likely was taken at a July 1910 exhibition in Reno between Jeffries and Choynski
40 A training photo from 1910 with the three HOFer heavyweights.
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42 One of many anonymous Jeffries-related PCs from the run up to his fight with Johnson
43 A typical anonymously issued real photo PC of Jeff from the era of the Johnson fight.
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45 Dana was perhaps the pre-eminent boxing PC publisher on the West Coast; they made hundreds of cards from the Jeffries-Johnson fight, including a series showing the two men working out. Ironically, for all the racial animus floating around calling Johnson an ape, Jeffries looked far more ape-like than Johnson did.
46 One of the more whimsical cards issued for the Jeffries-Johnson battle.
47 Great bit of history here. The card shows Jim Jeffries sharpening a tool with three onlookers. The card is labeled "Rowardennan" which was the Jeffries training camp in Santa Cruz CA. It is initially postmarked in June 1910 and recites how Jeff looked great and how they charged everyone $10 at the camp. The card is addressed to the brother of boxer Billy Papke [IBHOF].
48 RPPC from the Jeffries training camp. Shown from left Bob Armstrong, unknown, Joe Choynski, Farmer Burns, Jim Jeffries, Jim Corbett. Likely one of a kind; from the estate of Jeffries friend George Stewart.
49 Johnson-Jeffries and Johnson-Willard PCs are routine; but this one of Johnson v. Cotton is a one-of. It was actually George "Kid" Cotton, and they fought two exhibitions in 1910, one in Reno and one in San Franisco. Cotton worked as a sparring partner to Johnson and fought most of the great black heavyweights of the era. Postmarked 1910 from San Francisco.
50 This card and the next 4 are from the Janssen Litho. series of PCs issued in conjunction with the Jeffries-Johnson fight. Still not fully catalogued.
51 This card is particularly prescient in that Johnson died behind the wheel years later.
52 A new card to checklist from the 1910 Janssen Litho "Rob Roy" series devoted to the Johnson-Jeffries fight. Of particular interest is the image of Bob Armstrong, a black fighter known as "King of the Battle Royal". His in-ring career spanned roughly 1893-1912 and he worked into the 1930s as a sparring partner. In 1896 he won the World Colored Heavyweight Championship. He fought a number of HOFers, including Joe Choynski and Jim Jeffries, and worked as a sparring partner for them and also for Bob Fitzsimmons and Tom Sharkey. Card #A-13
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55 2014 brings a new addition to the Rob Roy checklist, this card of Jeffries playing handball
56 This card and the next three cards are from a series issued by a still-unnamed issuer who used "ST" as a hallmark. The fellow holding Jeff's right leg is Sam Berger, 1904 Olympic heavyweight champ.
57 Another pose of Jeffries
58 A British card circa 1911
59 A typical Johnson PC from the 1910 Battle Of The Century.
60 Another typical JJ, this one from a California publisher
61 And another
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63 Jeffries looking old and spent after his workout. Poor man had to sweat off 100# to get ready for the fight. This is from a series of at least five cards with Weidner images of the same training session.
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65 One of a multitude of postcards created to profit off the Jack Johnson v. Jim Jeffries bout set for July 4, 1910 in Reno, Nevada. This particular card was postmarked from Reno the day before the fight. One of a popular format of the day, different colored pieces of cellophane were to be held to the card to isolate the image of Jack or Jim. The same principle was later used to make 3-D movies.
66 I don't like 'jokey' cards but I find this one charming
67 A series of innovative cards depicting Jeffries and Johnson as roosters in a cock fight. Approx. half a dozen known poses.
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70 Three examples of the Jeffries-Johnson fight postcards using Dana photos. There are many cards, perhaps hundreds, chronicling every aspect of the day. The top PC has Jeffries being introduced by Billy Jordan, with Jim Corbett [IBHOF] and Joe Choynski [IBHOF] looking on. The one on the left is Jordan introducing Bob Fitzsimmons [IBHOF]. On the right is William Muldoon [IBHOF].
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73 Scene from Jeffries-Johnson.
I am going to post more of these as I get interesting images as I get them.
74 Scene from Jeffries-Johnson.
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77 "ELD" brand of French PC of Jim Jeffries, mailed in August 1910.
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80 A bloody war between Battling Nelson and Ad Wolgast.
81 Postally used 1911 PC of Carl Morris, a great white hope from the Jack Johnson era.
82 Dana Studio PC of Abe Attell and Eddie Kelly. Interesting back, Letol made in California. Appears to be used as a promo piece by the studio in 1911.
83 The least-skilled and most difficult to find of the Attell brothers.
84 Classic RPPC of Abe Attell
85 "Dumb" Dan Morgan is a HOF boxing manager and matchmaker. He picked up the nickname from columnist Tad Dorgan, who was making fun of Morgan's motor-mouthed loquacuiousness. Only card of him I've ever seen.
86 ca. 1911 French PC of Jack Johnson. The same publisher made two sets of cards, one captioned La Boxe and one captioned Les Sports. Thus far the cards found in both sets have had identical numbers.
87 This French PC of Carpentier is an advertising piece for bath salts that was issued in 1911 shortly after HOFers Harry Lewis and Georges Carpentier fought.
88 ca 1911 postally used French card of Frank Klaus.
89 Harry Lewis, another Jewish HOFer, ca. 1911 French PC
90 Stanley Ketchel RPPC
91 This 1914 French PC of Johnson is postmarked 1914 and references a fight in Paris with Frank Moran. It took place June 27, 1914 with Moran losing in 20 rounds.
92 This PC of Johnny Coulon is the same image used to create his T227 card.
93 An early example of cross-training, Johnny Coulon.
94 Frank Moran by Max Stein ca. 1915.
95 Max Stein PC of Jess Willard, who defeated Jack Johnson and reigned as heavyweight champ until Jack Dempsey demolished him in 1919.
96 This is a sample back from the Max Stein series advertising the various celebrity PCs offered.
97 A card of heavyweight champ Jess Willard issued in Spain ca. 1915-1918
98 Jess Willard in Havana training for the title fight against Jack Johnson.
99 Willard KO's Jack Johnson, 1915. Many postcards exist of the iconic image.
100 This Willard-Johnson is notable because it was sold as a souvenir at a wild west show that Willard toured with. It is scarce because Willard left the show after a short stint to open his own touring show.
101 M.L. Zercher from Topeka, KS, issued a number of cards in tribute to Kansas native son Jess Willard's victory over Jack Johnson.
102 Another Zercher PC from Topeka, this impressive card of Willard at his physical peak as champion was mailed several weeks after Willard took the title.
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104 A fairly common WWI era card showing a pro boxer training the troops. Boxing training led to the mass popularization of the sport and its acceptance by "respectable" society, which resulted in its legalization in many places.
105 Another popular fighter training troops for the war.
106 Bennie Leonard entertains the troops at Camp Kearny, California in 1918.
107 RPPC circa WWI showing Jess Willard fighting an exhibition with Jack Phelan at a military base in Florida
108 Jack Dempsey sparring with Big Bill Tate in training for the Willard Fight, 1919. Tate was 6'6" and had victories over Harry Wills, Sam Langford and Gunboat Smith. Lost in 20 rounds to Kid Norfolk and lost to Joe Jeannette, Wills, Langford and George Godfrey, all HOFers.
109 Dempsey shadow boxing during his 1919 camp.
110 Dempsey and his training staff. Note Big Bill Tate in the middle there.
111 Willard sparring in preparation for the Dempsey bout
112 Willard sparring with Jack Hemple in preparation for the Dempsey fight. Note the July 6, 1919 postmark.
113 This striking postcard is a 1919 issued commemorative of the Willard-Dempsey title fight in Ohio. Widely sought after for the bold graphics and historic nature of the fight it memorializes.
114 Part of a series of IFS postcards and photo cards of the big fight.
115 ca.1920 Jack Dempsey British PC.
116 Jack Doyle was a legendary Southern California boxing promoter who owned a training facility in Vernon [east L.A.] and issued a series of PCs devoted to his facilities.
117 Another Doyle PC.
118 Eight prime examples of French boxing postcards from the 1910s and 1920s. The Battling Siki on the upper left has an imprint announcing his December 1925 murder in New York. While I have seen other Siki cards from the issue I have never seen another with the imprint.
119 Here is the Siki PC without the death notice.
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122 Old fighters never die; they just show up at events...
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124 This card of Pancho Villa is one of the earliest examples of the 'standard' form of self-issued promotional card [see my boxing premiums and photos pages for more info]. Villa, a Filipino HOFer, died in 1925 after oral surgery.
125 Moise Bouquillon, a Jewish heavyweight, was champion of France in the late 1920s. French PC.
126 1920s French PC of heavyweight contender Luis Angel Firpo.
127 Jack Kid Berg, the Whitechapel Windmill, a Cockey Brit Jewish boxer and HOFer, on a French PC.
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129 1923 Dempsey training for the infamous fight in Montana that broke Shelby financially. From a series of postcards issued in conjunction with Dempsey's training camp.
130 There are two distinct sets of Dempsey-Gibbons PCs that share some images. Wesley Andrews, a Montana publisher, issued cards with its own imprint as well as a 12 card small boxed souvenir set [in the boxing card page] and there are AZO back RPPCs too.
131 I will put up as many of the images as I can from the Wesley Andrews/AZO issue.
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139 1923 from the Dempsey-Gibbons fight, this AZO shows Gibbons' manager
140 The dummy who did paste-up for this 1923 Dempsey Gibbons card got the names reversed.
141 1924 US Olympic boxing team, French PC. Front and center is HOFer Fidel Labarba
142 Dempsey as he looked during his reign as champ
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145 1920s French PC of Jack Dempsey
146 1920s German PC of Dempsey. Made from a movie photo
147 1920s French PC of Dempsey and Tom Mix and someone I haven't ID'd yet. Made from a movie studio publicity still. From a global perspective, Dempsey was the most popular athlete in the world in the 1920s, proven by the many PCs of him from around the world.
148 These next four images are of a pair of extraordinarily rare Japanese postcards showing scenes from the Daredevil Jack serial.
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152 Criqui, a champion from France, was gravely wounded in WWI and fought to a championship with a face that had been reconstructed by a battlefield doctor.
153 Another view of Criqui
154 The Orchid Man, Georges Carpentier, from a 1921 set issued in France. Probably the most common French boxing PC series from the prewar period. The "AN" stands for A. Noyer, a French postcard publisher from the era. They are readily found because they were sold in souvenir packets all over Europe
155 Another Carpentier PC, this one a more desirable hand-colored one.
156 2014 IBHOF inductee Ledoux, from the H.B. series of hand-colored photos.
157 Another H.B. card. Looks trimmed but is just off centered.
158 This image and the next show a 1920 postcard of Carpentier issued in America to promote him in a movie. Very desirable cross-over Hollywood/sports piece.
159 Back of the Carpentier card with advertising
160 Benny Leonard ran a restaurant on New York's Upper West Side in the 1920s. The undefeated remark indicates it was before his post-Depression come-back attempt.
161 1920s Photocard Co PC of Benny Leonard. A similar piece of much smaller size was made for appearance promotions.
162 This awkward-looking card shows Benny Leonard with his mother and his sister in a 1925 image made from a press released photo.
163 Beagles (UK) series Benny Leonard
164 Very interesting folding PC from Mickey Walker's bar, signed and inscribed by Walker [see next image].
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166 Promotional PC of Jack Zivic, with back written by Zivic to a friend.
167 Promotional PC of Pete Zivic.
168 Kid Sullivan RPPC
169 2014 IBHOF inductee Charles Ledoux on a 1920s French issued PC.
170 Jimmie McLarnin, a dominant fighter of the 1920s. He was KO'd only once, by Ray Miller, who happened to be my grandfather's 1st cousin.
171 One of the more colorful characters of pugdom and Jewish boxing history is Abe Hollandersky, the Fighting Newsboy, who claimed to have fought over 1,000 bouts. Ripley did a cartoon of him for his Believe It Or Not series. He was given special access to peddle newspapers and magazines on Navy ships.
172 Another Hollandersky RPPC showing him at his peddling trade. He wrote an unreadable autobiography that is found at times autographed.
173 The Marines produced an armed forces champ who went on to win the greatest title of all: Gene Tunney, The Fighting Marine.
174 Great ca. 1926-27 Tunney PC. The same image appears in his 1927 Fro-Joy card set.
175 A shot from the Tunney training camp. Since it lists him as heavyweight champ, it had to be from late 1926 to about 1930
176 [L-R] Tunney at his training facility in Speculator NY, Dempsey and actor Herbert Rawlinson clowning around in Los Angeles, and Dempsey duking it out with an RC Cola executive. The first two are ca. the late 1920s, the RC card likely from the mid-1930s.
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181 German RPPC with Max Schmeling. Looks to be a ceremony after an amateur bout.
182 Contender Kid Tunero on a French PC. Signed in 1933.
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184 HOFer Len Harvey signed PC
185 Interesting Cuban promotional PC signed from HOFer Kid Chocolate to HOF broadcaster/promoter Cuco Conde
186 In 1932 before the Schmeling-Sharkey bout, Billy Taub, a New York clothier, sponsored a dinner of sporting figures. This PC memorializes the event, as does a corresponding premium [see premiums page]. Note the big fella in the middle--Babe Ruth
187 In 1933 Taub issued another PC for the heavyweight title contest, this one between Sharkey and Carnera
188 Wes Ramey was elected to the IBHOF class of 2013. He boxed all over the world including several bouts in South Africa in 1934, from which this PC originates.
189 signed PC of HOFer Wes Ramey postmarked 1969
190 Victor "Young" Perez was a flyweight champ of Tunisian descent who lived in France. Come WWII, as a Jew he was betrayed to the Nazis and sent to the Auschwitz death camp in Poland where he was forced to fight gladiatorial contests for the amusement of the guards. If he won, he was fed. If he lost, he would be murdered. He never lost. He was finally murdered during a death march near the end of the war when he shared some bread with a fellow prisoner in defiance of a guard's orders. Perez's cards--there are a few--are sought after because of his story. This French PC is a stellar example of a Perez card. What makes it special is in the next picture.
191 Yes, this is Victor "Young" Perez's autograph on the back of the postcard. His autograph is very rare, for obvious reasons.
192 Young Perez by Globo, a French gum co that also issued 'typical' insert gum cards.
193 A French PC of Kid Francis. He was also imprisoned at Auschwitz and made to fight as a gladiator. Presumed murdered in Auschwitz as penalty for losing a bout.
194 1920s Kid Francis French PC
195 Max Baer was a willing signer with great handwriting.
196 Max Baer's less talented brother Buddy.
197 Marcel Thil advertising PC, 1930s.
198 George Godfrey realized that he would not be allowed a fair chance at a title in the US so he fought and wrestled extensively in Europe, where this card and a few other promotional pieces were issued.
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202 Circa 1937 advertising piece for cosmetics products using Joe Louis photos as a promotional aid.
203 One of a series of Joe Louis cards issued by Cincinnati manufacturer Orcajo.
204 Two more of the same. Variations are known of the card of Joe and his wife, and non-Orcajo cards with the boxing pose also are known.
205 1939 Orcajo postcard of Jack Dempsey
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207 Thanks to a fortuitous discovery of a press photo from the same event, we can now date this PC to 1939. It shows Sailor Tom Sharkey at age 67 sparring with Tilly Herman at the Golden Gate International Exposition on July 10.
208 A postcard made from art used to promote Adam Hats.
209 Billy Conn Adam Hats PC. I found this PC long before I was able to confirm the existence of the Adam Hats Conn promo piece.
210 Jack Benny Adam Hats PC
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212 Lew Tendler autographed restaurant PC. A lot tougher than Dempseys, which are easy to find, but still not that difficult to locate.
213 Jack Dempsey signed restaurant PC. Dempsey was a great and gracious signer and his signed restaurant PCs are easily located.
214 A common Dempsey restaurant PC
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216 Tony Canzoneri's restaurant PC
217 Jimmy Braddock restaurant PC. Signed by Braddock's and Joe Louis's British opponent Tommy Farr.
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219 Jack Delaney's restaurant
220 An Argentinean advertising PC for GM cars from the 1930s. Justo Suarez was an Argentinean fighter who went north and became a top contender.
221 1930s Italian RPPC of Primo Carnera and his home town in Italy.
222 1930s French PC of Carnera. Widely reputed to be the beneficiary of Mafia set-ups on the way to the title, when the mob let him fight on the level, Max Baer tore him to pieces.
223 Holman Williams RPPC
224 Joe Louis visited Camp Beale during WWII and the California-based military installation issued a series of postcards to commemorate the visit. This one shows him with Sugar Ray Robinson. I have seen four different; there are apparently at least 11 since all are numbered.
225 Another Camp Beale Louis
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227 Jeff Dickson was an American boxing promoter in Europe in the interwar period, elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2000. This British 1930s RPPC shows him with fellow HOFers Thil and Brown. In 1943, Capt. Jeff Dickson was killed in action over Germany while serving in the U.S. Air Force during World War II.
228 A WWII era postcard of a battle royal at a military boxing event. Hard to believe this was still going on during the mid-1940s...
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230 Most of a 1940s or 1950s PC of Manuel Ortiz.
231 George Abrams, a boxer Sugar Ray Robinson said gave him his toughest bout. There are no contemporary cards from his career other than this one that I am aware of.
232 This PC of the Raging Bull and the next one show the perils of buying autographs. Both are vintage mailed La Motta PCs. Is one a secretarial signature, one the real deal? Are both secretarial? Guess...
233 This one is his wife, Vicki's. The prior one was Jake's.
234 This interesting 1944 piece promoted MGM's fight film series for movie theaters.
235 1947 Cuban card of Kid Gavilan. Sole boxer in a set of baseball cards.
236 Cuban PC of Kid Gavilan fighting in a match with Gene Tunney either refereeing, judging or being introduced. I think the latter owing to the shoes.
237 Late 1940s French PC of Marcel Cerdan, who died in 1949.
238 1949 Willie Pep promo PC perhaps signed.
239 This Slim Jim Bows mail reply PC shows Marciano pre-championship, dating the promotion to 1951 or earlier.
240 Ezzard Charles self-promotional PC.
241 Another Charles, this one dating to 1955.
242 Rocky Marciano. My favorite PC of the Rock, ever.
243 A difficult Marciano PC. Unfortunately, a secretarial [by his wife] signature. Maybe.
244 A 2nd generation printed card that Marciano used after his career. Autograph is secretarial.
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247 1950s giant sized PC of Joe Louis from the Moulin Rouge in Las Vegas. The first integrated casino, it lasted less than a year, accounting for the rarity of the PC.
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249 Interesting advertising PC for Ray Arcel promotions. I knew Arcel was a HOF trainer, but he apparently also ran a promotions company.
250 2015 IBHOFer Ken Overlin self-issued PC.
251 I like this late 1950s Carlos Ortiz PC not just because it is a great image but also because it was used by his manager to try and promote one of his bouts.
252 This PC of two-division champ [middle and light-heavyweight] Dick Tiger dates from between 1958 [when he won the title referenced] and 1962 [when he won the first of his world titles].
253 Tommmy Loughran autographed restaurant PC
254 1950s self-issued Robinson promo PC
255 1940s Joe Louis PC
256 Sugar Ray Robinson was the finest pound-for-pound fighter in history. Apparently, he was a guest on a TV show, judging from this PC. I love single-event PCs that show period stamping and cancellation.
257 Postcard for Sugar Ray Robinson's Harlem restaurant
258 A very tough die-cut Joe Louis restaurant PC from the 1950s.
259 Robert Cohen autographed PC. Cohen, a French Algerian Jew, was bantamweight champ from 1954-56.
260 Another French-Algerian-Jewish champ, Alphonse Halimi. Also signed.
261 Two-Ton Tony Galento advertising beer? Gotta love that.
262 Another beer distributor.
263 Lloyd Marshall is one of those HOFers who have no cards. This British issue may be from his active time or may be a later printing; the issue ran from the 1940s into the 1970s.
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267 Heavyweight contender Jimmy Ellis, self-issued promo PC. Signed and inscribed on back [see next image]
