Hi Alex
The BOWMAN GUM Co. goes back to the mid-1930's. Warren Bowman worked with the George Moll Advertising Agency of Philadelphia to create all these great Sportscards
and Non-Sportscards from 1937 - 1955. The Moll Agency employed 12 artists, who created the artwork for the 1939 - 1941 PLAY BALL's and 1948 - 1955 BOWMAN"S.
I did a lot of research back in the early 1980's and published several articles on this subject. Regarding the 1953 BB set, try to get my article in the 1986 BASEBALL CARDS
Magazine. You will find it quite interesting.
TED Z
T206 Reference
.