Drawings & Tobacco Art Cards
 

There's been some good chatter on this forum recently about Art Cards, drawings, and Reprint Cards. It seems many appreciate these as supplements to our collections and lower priced alternatives for our favorite cards. I thought I'd share one of my favorites: a depiction of 1909-1911 Boston Dove players in this large 18" x 22" team picture. Most of the images were recreated using the tobacco card images as a proxy (these come from Helmar Brewing). I think these are pretty cool and very affordable. Below shows Cy Young, Dahlen, Herzog, Sweeney, et al. Any cool Art Cards or drawings you feel like sharing of players from the deadball era?

Helmar Brewing
 

I can't be the only one loving these colorful cards of the old timers...

This has a nice look but it would not be an alternative to me.

But I can see others enjoying them

Hi Joe,

There is a card similar to your Doves team card that depicts the Jersey City Skeeters T206, T201 & T205 images that I would like to find for my JC Skeeters collection. Other than that one, I'm not sure I would buy any others. I do think many of them look great though.



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I have commissioned Tanner Jones (Net54: mouschi) to create custom T206 auto cards for me. One of my favorites is this Harry Pattee T206. You can't really see Harry's face on the T206, but you sure can on this custom art card!

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f4025667_c.jpg

Working with Tanner got me into creating my own custom "Signature Collection" modeled after the 2013 Historic Autographs 1909-13 Originals issue. I cracked an SGC 60 Tinker Portrait and a PSA/DNA Tinker signature to make this jumbo auto card!

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...744910ec_c.jpg

I think custom art cards of T206 players is the next phase of collecting, and is tied to the growth of "maker culture." There are a TON of awesome card artists on Instagram right now that people really should be checking out. My latest favorite is Dan Baumfield (@thirdanart). He now does Tik Tok videos of how he makes them, and posts them on IG. Check it out!

Though they are colorful and generally well designed, not my cup of collecting tea though.

Also, these are strictly all modern, post 1980 items, so is this thread being posted in the correct forum?

I guess it depends on how you look at it: the memorabilia itself is modern but the subject matter is prewar. Just wanted to post some options for folks who have opined that the prices are going too high on really old stuff and there seems to be no way to collect these old heroes. There is a way indeed: sprinkle in a few Art cards... :)

Tanner does amazing work. Before I learned how to make customs I had him make a few for me.

Here is a T206 Cobb custom cut card piece I had a fellow member make for me a couple months ago. My favorite player is Wade Boggs and I sent him several 1990 Donruss Boggs cards he used to do the red background.

Wow, Ben and Paul these are amazing, thanks for posting!

I have a modest collection of these cards, all Helmar and Banty Red. They come up on eBay, Amazon, Mercari, even Etsy, etc., from time to time. When first released, and they are only made in very small numbers as they are essentially hand made, they seem to sell for colossal sums. Eventually, many come back up for sale later, and though I do not know why, often at very reasonable prices. I put this small album together as a way to show off the ones I have. I especially like the Mantle-Mays-Reese New York set with Mel Allen-Russ Hodges-Red Barber Says and the re-done 1954 Red Man Reese that replaces cartoonish original artwork with a color photo. To me, this is a great and relatively inexpensive way to put together a collection of pre- and post-war HOF'ers cards (or should be HOF'ers).

Campy...
 

Nice eye candy for those that collect it. I don't have enough room for my regular oddball stuff!

Love the Helmar T3 cabinets but someone is going to have to explain to me how severe shill bidding isn't going on with every single auction. Looking at the bid list afterwards is highly suspicious.

I would agree that art cards may well be the next phase of collecting that will be spotlighted. Heck, they are popular already. Right now in our marketplace there are some 350 of our retired cards that people have listed as wanted. Charles Mandel, Helmar Brewing

I love Helmar cards and have been collecting them for about a year now. Really hooked on the Cabinet cards and especially the Oasis set they have.

<a href="https://ibb.co/wS0zZGn"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/HtFHLwc/cabinet.jpg" alt="cabinet" border="0"></a>

<a href="https://ibb.co/74Hrxfq"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/hfk2x6S/oasis.jpg" alt="oasis" border="0"></a>

You're not! I know they get a lot of flack due to being newer art cards but I just love these cards.

Haven't collected cards in about 20 years and purchased one Helmar last February and was instantly hooked. Brought back many memories of collecting for me and I have enjoyed immensely.

I don't collect them for the value. I just love the art, vintage look and feel of the cards.

Exactly so.

Love that they are hand painted from photos, older cards, etc. some of the subjects have so few actual cards, its nice to get one of these as a conversation piece.

If anyone has any Jersey City Skeeters cards and would part with them, please let me know. Here are two examples of the cards I know of so far.



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Received these in the mail today:

<a href="https://ibb.co/zQnsVXf"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/17vZGr2/haul.jpg" alt="haul" border="0"></a>

While the fantasy cards aren't my thing some of them are really nice looking!
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Tanner is awesome. I’ve already had him do two jobs for me and a third is coming once I find an autograph to send to him.

Those are really nice displays!