OBak Sets: Difficulty Level

[shernan30]

I wasn't planning to work on any base ball sets for a while, but I keep being attracted to the OBak sets. What is everyone's experience with collecting the set? Is it doable? Where's a good reference?

I haven't decided on which version I'm planning to collect. I doubt it will be the Old English set since it is the rarest.

As always, scans of cards will make this much better.

[rhettyeakley]

The 1910 and 1911 sets are very doable and fun projects. That being said, the 150 back version of the 1910 set is a beast. If you don't care about the slogan on back and just want one of each front then neither set should pose a major problem, you just may need some pretty good patience unless you start w/ a large group and go from there.

[Leon]

Good to go for the latter 2 sets first, as you stated. The first one, T212-1, is very difficult. And as Rhett said, unless you are a back-slogan person the first two are doable but not too, too easy. Some have great lithography too. You can check any of the multiple online references for set make up.
This is my only Obak presently...(shown a few times before)

Originally Posted by shernan30

I wasn't planning to work on any base ball sets for a while, but I keep being attracted to the OBak sets. What is everyone's experience with collecting the set? Is it doable? Where's a good reference?

I haven't decided on which version I'm planning to collect. I doubt it will be the Old English set since it is the rarest.

As always, scans of cards will make this much better.

[edhans]

The 1912s aren't rare, but the Weaver and Ten Million cards will set you back some.

[brianp-beme]

I decided many a moon ago to approach the 1910 and 1911 sets as one unit, trying to get all the different fronts that are seen in the two sets (minus the variations seen in the 1910 150 series, which at the time I was not familiar with).

A little background. If a player was featured in the 1910 Obak set, and then was included in the 1911 with the same team designation, the card fronts from these two sets are exactly identical. For example Agnew of Los Angeles team is seen in the 1910 set, and in 1911 an Agnew of Los Angeles was issued again: the two fronts on these cards are identical. 175 cards were issued in both the 1910 and 1911 sets, and 74 of each set share the same fronts like the example noted above.

In cases where a player featured in 1910 was issued in 1911 with another team designation, the artwork is different on the fronts: for example in 1910 Castleton was pictured with Los Angeles, whereas in 1911 Castleton's team designation is Vernon and thus the artwork is different. There are 22 examples of this between the two sets.

Each year has its own group of cards exhibiting unique artwork. For example the player Briswalter was only issued in 1910 (Los Angeles), while Akin was only issued in the 1911 set (Los Angeles). Thus both 1910 and 1911 each have 79 cards that are unique to their own set.

Long story short, if a collector wants to just collect all the different fronts between these two 175 series sets, the amount of cards they would need to get would be 276 (74 shared designs, 22 1910 cards of players that are shown in 1911 with a different team, as well as those 22 1911 team change versions, and the 79 unique subjects of the 1910 set as well as the 79 unique 1911 subjects).

Let's just say I like to make collecting unnecessarily complicated and challenging. What I decided to collect was the complete 175 card 1911 set (I like the corny player write-ups on the back), and then the 79 unique 1910 subjects as well as the 22 1910 team change players. That way I got the fun of collecting a complete set, as well as all the different and mostly fantastic artwork available between the two sets. One could also decide to collect all the 1910 set and the other 101 unique artwork cards in the 1911 set, or could just do a two set 276 card jumble

Brian

[brianp-beme]

The main reason why I came up with my Obak collecting strategy I mentioned in the previous post was because I found the 1910 and 1911 cards so visually attractive that I wanted to have all of the different fronts available, while staying within some kind of budget and not get too crazy or cup of noodle dependent.

Here are some examples of the artistry (and quite often outrageously colorful backgrounds) that drew me into these sets. The first three scans feature a players that can be found in all three sets that also have different artwork for each card, and the following three scans happen to be 1910 cards, both unique artwork subjects and ones that share artwork with the 1911 issue.

In my prejudiced eye even low condition examples maintain their beauty.

Brian

[Jerry G]

That's some great information, Brian! Thanks for sharing.

I have been leaning towards the Obaks for a couple years. I have about 80 of which almost all are 1910 or 1911. Armed with your research, I now need to re-evaluate my focus on this cool set.

If I remember correctly, the Hetling with the windmill in the background is the Obak that first caught my eye and started the journey. If you're ever in the St. Louis area, stop by for a cup of noodles.

[Kawika]

[brianp-beme]

In case Jerry or any others that have full frontal aspirations, here is the list of 74 cards that are in both the 1910 and 1911 sets and have identical fronts.

I have them grouped by team, because I have grouped them by team, and there can be no question that they are grouped in this manner, because, as you can see, they are grouped by team.

Brian (there's no 'I' in team, but suspiciously there is one in my name)


Los Angeles - PCL

Agnew
Bernard
Criger
Daley
Delhi
Delmas
Dillon
Howard
H.Smith
Thorsen
Tozer

Oakland - PCL

Christian
Cutshaw
Mitze
Wares
Wolverton

Portland - PCL

McCredie
Rapps
J.Ryan
Seaton
Steen

Sacramento - PCL

Baum
Danzig
Fitzgerald
Hiester
Hunt
LaLonge
Nourse
Shinn
Van Buren

San Francisco - PCL

Berry
Browning
Henley
McArdle
Melchoir
Miller
Mohler
Shaw
Sutor
Tennant
Vitt

Vernon - PCL

Brackenridge
R.Brashear
D.Brown
Burrell
Carlisle
Hitt
Hogan
Willett

Seattle - NWL

Raymond
Seaton
Shea
Zackert

Spokane - NWL

Bonner
Cartwright
Cooney
Holm
Kippert
Nordyke
Ostdiek

Tacoma - NWL

Annis
Bassey
Coleman
Hall
Rockenfield
Schmutz
Warren

Vancouver - NWL

Brinker
Erickson
James
Jensen
Lewis
Scharnweber
Swain