Question: Vintage ABA / NBA photos
 

So, i was curious and was looking around Ebay other sources...

am i just crazy, or are there like NO/NONE 1960s-1980s, Type 1 type photos?

I just checked and saw a few decent ones on ebay. Admittedly, not very many compared to baseball and some of the prices are aspirational, to be polite. But there are at least a couple of nice images. And a couple of Emmons photos, which I generally like.

Although it's an NCAA photo, I like the one of Lew Alcindor with the cut net wrapped around his neck (1969 I think). Sweet image.


If you are looking for anything in particular, let me know. I'm in the process of downsizing to a couple of dozen photos I'm going to display in my studio and letting go of the cabinet full of other Type 1s (mostly baseball but also some basketball). Most of the older ones were sent to auction, but I haven't gotten around to most of the 60s and 70s photos.

I don't see a lot Type 1 basketball photos either in comparison to baseball. I only have a few...here's a candid signed snapshot of HOFer Bobby Leonard during his playing days with Lakers.

https://i.imgur.com/VIUXUcD.jpg?1

I have a number of Mpls Lakers early photos that are considered Type 1’s. I have a couple of Pete Maravich 1970’s photos as well, but you don’t see much for early basketball. The Lakers did quite a few as their promo photos from a photographer / studio in NE Mpls. There were just a few action shots recently on eBay, but I don’t see much. Admittedly I only look for Mpls Lakers though.

Original photos are out there but in far smaller quantities than baseball. What you are more likely to find are team issues with graphics added and wire photos. We have another thread going on a similar subject, but I cannot resist throwing out a photo I got from an archive of a sportswriter:

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...ll%20Cousy.jpg

Cousy-Russell-Chamberlain, from 1961. Just one of my favorites.

team issue:

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...20shooting.jpg

ABA team issue (really hard to find these):

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...e%20Erving.jpg

I think there was a nice stash out there 10-15 years ago when a lot of Sporting Publications and newspapers emptied their vaults to John Rogers and others.

There were a lot of Type I's that came out of The Sporting News archives, and essentially sold for very little. I think a lot of collectors thought the market was flooded, because so many hit the hobby all at once.

Then at a certain point, most of the nicer stuff seemed to just dry up.

Along with basketball not being nearly as popular for much of that time, as it is now, that time period also coincides with a period in which Type 1's of most press photos were not made in very large quantities.

Outside of the local paper, news service or publication that was credited with the photo or provided it directly by the photographer, only a small handful or originals might be created, but mostly all would end up being disseminated throughout the rest of the country through Wire, Sound, Teletype, Laser, or Radio photo processes. (All Type III's).

Before that, I think they tried to cast a wider net in the region with the original prints. Messengering them through the night to as many regional newspaper distributers as possible.

Once the early to mid 60's hit, if your publication was 8 blocks down the street, they'd just as soon wire or laser that photo to you instead.

Shameless plug, I actually have a bunch of Oscar Robertson Type I's up on Ebay right now, as either BIN's or auctions, that originated from The Cincinnati Enquirer.

I have a few type 1 basketball photos, but not a lot. I do have a nice 8x10 Whitey Skoog inscribed and autographed photo from probably the 52-53 season as Laker. I'm guessing 52-53 because it also shows Lew Hitch in the photo.

Are you looking for specific players or just type 1's in general?

Early team issue photos do exist. Most of them are probably in collections now. In the 1990's I have 4-500 original team issue photos. I was buying singles and groups of them. I had a lot of Boston Celtics - multiple Russells, John Thompson, Satch Sanders and many early 1970's players, plus team photos. I was lucky enough to acquire a lot of pre-dynasty photos including quite a few from the 1940's to early 1950's - Virgil Vaughn, George Kaftan, Jack Garfinkel, Chick Halbert, Ed Macauley, Kenny Rollins, Bob Houbregs, Dick Hemric and Jack Nichols (Seattle Supersonics team doctor for many years). The ones from the 1940's were smaller than 8x10. I also had some Syracuse Nats - Schayes, Seymour, Rochester Royals team photos, St Louis Hawks - Macauley and Philadelphia Warriors - Hal Greer. Many of the HOFers were also easy to find as I had Yardley, Phillip, Howell and others. I had a few ABA also, mostly NY.

I wound up selling them all off piecemeal when I changed my focus. I am sure if you keep looking you will find them. Most dealers and buyers don't care about the ones that are not big names. I cannot see paying more than $10 for the average players like Archie Clark, Slick Watts etc. If you are looking in person learn what the older paper feels like. None of those team issue photos had glossy backs or any Kodak logo on them.

I was cruising ebay and thought I would see what was available in original basketball photos. Here is a short list of photos I found. Based on the sellers and the photos, they all look original. The press/in action photos are not marked on the below list. Some of them are in the NBA, some are college action. The team issue have a 'ti' after them. I am glad I looked. I found a college action photo of a player I needed for my Olympic collection. For any basketball Olympian prior to 1992 I only want high school, college or Olympic photos, no pro. From 1992 to date I only want Olympic photos. The only exception being Laettner. Of those in the list I believe the highest priced was around $18, the lowest, less than $6.

Bob Calihan - NBL 30's-40's
Jim King
Ralph Simpson ABA
Otis Birdsong
Rex Chapman
World Free
Wally Walker - ti
Kenny Battle
Dick Barnett - ti
Cazzie Russell - ti
Dave Debusschere - ti and college issued
Willie McCarter - ti
Nat Holman
Dick Grubar
Reggie King
Siemiontowski - ti
Willie Smith
John Lambert - ti
Wayne Cooper
Gary Keller (ABA)
Tom Kropp - ti
Dave Stallworth - ti
Jim Brewer
Rony Seikaly
Tom McMillen
Louie Dampier - ABA ti
Jim Barnett - ti
Garfield Heard - ti
Charlie Scott - ti
Carl Braun - ti 1956
Bill Laimbeer - at ND
Red Auerbach - ti
Bobby Hurley
Luther "Ticky" Burden
Monte Towe
Oliver Miller
Sidney Moncrief
Al Skinner
Walt Frazier - ti
Larue Martin - ti
Marvin Webster - ti
Jeff Lamp
Bob McAdoo
Mel "Crusher" Davis - ti
George Gervin - ti
Rich Rinaldi - ti
Walt Bellamy - ti
Ray Williams - ti
Red Robbins - ti ABA multiple

The Brearley photos made from the original negatives are really outstanding photos - not type 1 but super nice. Here is a Chamberlain - Russell made from the 67 negative.

Some Great Action shots

But not a fan of those shorts. LOL

Thanks for the list. I found and picked up the Laimbeer Notre Dame and Debuscherre college shots for my Pre-Rookie photo collection. Also saw the Otis Birdsong was a college shot and picked that up to.

This got me inspired (obsessed maybe a better word), to sort through 1000's of other listings and found college shots of Doc Rivers, Derrick Coleman and a Freshman Grant Hill with Bobby Hurley.

Even found a Type 1 High School Basketball shot of Super Bowl MVP QB Mark Rypien from 1979. I'm probably the only one that cares, but thought it was pretty cool.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/y3YAA...Tg/s-l1600.jpg