[Archive]

Posted By: davidcycleback

Topps commisioned the artist Jerry Dvorak to paint the paintings used to make the 1953 Topps set. Dvorak was also an artist for Paramount Cartoons, which made movie cartoons like Casper the Ghost and Little LuLu.

There are probably a few recent years Topps cards that were based on sketches or paintings. Other manufacturers had artists make paintings for inserts. Perhaps most notably the modern Donruss Diamond Kings.

2 years ago Robert Edward Auctions sold the paintings of noted baseball artist Dick Perez, and it included the complete sets of paintings for several 1990s insert sets.

Many are fans of the 1953 Topps, but I agree that it's hard to beat the 1950-52 Bowmans.