1953 Bowman Color

[Neal]

A classic set from a classic decade ....

I think I am going to make a run at this set. I have always liked the images, the set is chock full of HOF and star power, and at 160 cards, the set is small enough for me to make an honest attempt. Currently I own two cards in mid grade, PSA 5 and 6, and that is going to be my benchmark .... as long as the image is nice.

1953BowmanColorSpahnPSA5.jpg1953BowmanRoberts.jpg

Each of the above seems to have one of the nuances of the set - centering on the Roberts and some print marks on Spahnnies red brim. Seems that the color red in the set always has some issues, but I am only guessing.

Does anyone out there collect this set? I would love to see some examples, so please share!

Thanks in advance

[ALR-bishop]

Magnificent set with my favorite Musial. Very well thought of today, it was a market disaster for Bowman in 1953 . First use of color photography versus colored b&w photos, but an expensive set for Bowman to produce, and the 53 Topps set still out sold it. Bowman caved in mid summer and issued it's remaining cards in b&w.

It was the first Bowman set I did. I like it a lot. Good luck with your project, Neal

[GasHouseGang]

They are beautiful cards. You really couldn't go wrong to attempt that set in mid-grade.

[JollyElm]

Each card in that set is a work of art.

[Neal]

Originally Posted by GasHouseGang

They are beautiful cards. You really couldn't go wrong to attempt that set in mid-grade.

now that is a good looking "collectors grade" card!

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

What a wonderful set! Back in the Fall, I sold a really nice Musial. Why??!!!

[Neal]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Magnificent set with my favorite Musial. Very well thought of today, it was a market disaster for Bowman in 1953 . First use of color photography versus colored b&w photos, but an expensive set for Bowman to produce, and the 53 Topps set still out sold it. Bowman caved in mid summer and issued it's remaining cards in b&w.

It was the first Bowman set I did. I like it a lot. Good luck with your project, Neal

Thanks, Al!

I like the Musial as well.

[Robs70sCards]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Magnificent set with my favorite Musial. Very well thought of today, it was a market disaster for Bowman in 1953 . First use of color photography versus colored b&w photos, but an expensive set for Bowman to produce, and the 53 Topps set still out sold it. Bowman caved in mid summer and issued it's remaining cards in b&w.

It was the first Bowman set I did. I like it a lot. Good luck with your project, Neal

That's an interesting comment. From my perspective, how would you not like a color set with really exciting and interesting poses? What is it about these cards that kids didn't like at the time?

I like Topps and all, but if I won lotto this is the first set I'm buying

EDIT: Thanks for posting that article Ted Z. Sometimes I'm slow to post and didn't see it.

[ashes13]

the 1953 Bowmans are great looking cards. One of my earliest vintage card purchases was this Reese in 1984.
Still raw but may get it graded soon.

[Volod]

Originally Posted by Robs70sCards

That's an interesting comment. From my perspective, how would you not like a color set with really exciting and interesting poses? What is it about these cards that kids didn't like at the time?

I like Topps and all, but if I won lotto this is the first set I'm buying

EDIT: Thanks for posting that article Ted Z. Sometimes I'm slow to post and didn't see it.

Al is certainly correct about the 1953 Topps cards outselling Bowmans' issue that year, but that fact was was not due to kids preferring the Topps cards at all. Rather, the relatively poorer sales figures for Bowman had to do with a smaller distribution and probably lower production numbers overall. Personally, I can recall kids in my schoolyard falling all over each other to get a look at the new Bowmans when they hit the stores that spring. The amazing color photography and innovative design impressed kids far more than the more pedestrian hand-drawn artwork used by Topps. Nonetheless, more kids had stacks of the Topps cards simply because that was what they found on store shelves and countertops. I recall riding a bike all over my small (40K) hometown trying to find the Bowman cards without much success that year. Candy distributors just bought many more cases of Topps product than Bowman regardless of what kids might have preferred.

[ALR-bishop]

The Bowman family had great timing and had sold their interests earlier at the peak of their baseball card success , before Toops began to ascend with the results of the 52 set. The new owners did not have the Bowman family marketing instincts and experience. The increased expense of color photos in their 53 set cut back their marketing budget. After 53 Bowman limped through 1954 and made a last ditch effort with their color TV concept in 1955. It fell flat, maybe because so few families were even familiar with color TVs in 1955.

Also, although the set is admired today for the uncluttered front, kids may have preferred a name and team designation on the front

Whatever you think of Dean's Cards pricing, he does have a good book on the bubble gum wars between Topps and Bowman from 1948 to 1955. Topps first major foray into baseball cards was 1951, but they did have a baseball subset in their 1948 Magic Photo set.

I get a smile out of thinking about Steve pedaling all over town looking for 53 Bowmans

[Volod]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

.......

I get a smile out of thinking about Steve pedaling all over town looking for 53 Bowmans

Beating the game, Al.....

[campyfan39]

Steve,
Love this set and your firsthand experience but you said 53 topps was "pedestrian hand drawn artwork" ouch I feel like you just slapped my wife hahaha

Originally Posted by Volod

Al is certainly correct about the 1953 Topps cards outselling Bowmans' issue that year, but that fact was was not due to kids preferring the Topps cards at all. Rather, the relatively poorer sales figures for Bowman had to do with a smaller distribution and probably lower production numbers overall. Personally, I can recall kids in my schoolyard falling all over each other to get a look at the new Bowmans when they hit the stores that spring. The amazing color photography and innovative design impressed kids far more than the more pedestrian hand-drawn artwork used by Topps. Nonetheless, more kids had stacks of the Topps cards simply because that was what they found on store shelves and countertops. I recall riding a bike all over my small (40K) hometown trying to find the Bowman cards without much success that year. Candy distributors just bought many more cases of Topps product than Bowman regardless of what kids might have preferred.

[RayBShotz]

Great Ennis!

[mcreel]

I am building the set in the VG range, mostly raw. I have 87/160 including the Mantle.


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[bobsbbcards]

I like the set a lot. I'd still like to upgrade my Ford, but it's not worth it.

http://www.psacard.com/PSASetRegistr...aspx?setid=196

[Neal]

Originally Posted by bobsbbcards

I like the set a lot. I'd still like to upgrade my Ford, but it's not worth it.

http://www.psacard.com/PSASetRegistr...aspx?setid=196

tremendous set, Bob!

first time I have seen the PSA digital album - wow!

[savedfrommyspokes]

It is a beautiful set to build....I am at 155/160 currently....here is my Mantle...only the Mantle and two other cards are graded, but the rest of the set is quite consistent with my Mantle. Finding centered cards has indeed been tough, as I have upgraded numerous cards within the set with more centered copies.

[aconte]

Nice set!

Good luck Neal!

[mcreel]

This is my Musial.


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[tedzan]

Hey guys

Take the time to read my 1986 Baseball Cards Magazine article on this set....I think you'll find it quite interesting.












TED Z
.

[savedfrommyspokes]

Originally Posted by tedzan

Hey guys

Take the time to read my 1986 Baseball Cards Magazine article on this set....I think you'll find it quite interesting.



TED Z
.

Ted, thank you for your article...it was a great read 30 years ago when I could just dream of building this set....I reread your article a few years back and it helped push me in the direction to building this set (slowly).

[vintagewhitesox]

Great set Neal. That Mantle pose is very cool.
Al, I enjoyed reading your info about this set and the Bowman/Topps of the 50s. very cool. see, I learned something today

[tedzan]

Thanks Rob, Neal, and savedfrommyspokes for the compliments regarding my 1953 Bowman article.

I've completed two of these sets; and, here are some of my nicer looking stars.


. . [img]

.

.



The "colorful" Casey Stengel should have printed in the color set.





"Kodakchrome......
they give us the nice bright colors
they give us the greens of summers
makes you think the world's a sunny day
BOWMAN got a Nikron camera
they love to take a photograph
so please don't take my Kodakchrome BOWMAN's away"

Paul Simon, 1973


TED Z
.

[ALR-bishop]

Ted--I wonder if anyone has ever created a color version of that card.

Always great to have you drop in on post war

[the 'stache]

Oh, wow, Ted. I didn't know you wrote that. I used to go to the local baseball card shop in Waukesha, and buy Baseball Cards Magazine each time I'd buy some packs, or a box of Topps wax packs. That was one of my favorite articles to ever appear in the magazine.

Originally Posted by tedzan

Hey guys

Take the time to read my 1986 Baseball Cards Magazine article on this set....I think you'll find it quite interesting.

[Neal]

If I can continue to find PSA 5's and 6's like these, I'll be a happy set builder.

49 Stanky.jpg60 Hamner.jpg

[RayBShotz]

Neal - Those are ridiculously nice.
Great pick-ups.
Only the set builder gets Granny Hamner!
RayB

[Exhibitman]

I've thought about the set in passing but don't care to collect commons, so I never went for it. I've had these since I was a kid:





Got the Musial signed about 25 years ago.

Last year I didn't like the way things were going with prices so I picked up this one:



I think clean vg or signed is where I will land on this set




I am in the minority for the set in terms of fronts. I prefer the 1957 design for the ID data. If only the 1957 could have had the 1953 caliber pictures to go with it...

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Hats off to you guys who have completed this set or are close to doing so. I love it but I am not sure that I could afford to build it in the condition I would be happy with, and I worry that this particular set might not look as good in lower grade.

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[the 'stache]

I think building the '53 set is more of a marathon than a sprint. So long as a builder is patient, willing to take the time to look for nice mid grade examples, it's very doable.

There are a few cards that are going to be very costly. The Mick, especially, in a 5/6 is with eye appeal to match the other cards is going to set me back a few thou, easily. The Pee Wee, especially, demands near perfect centering, and that should be pretty costly. But a lot of these guys (including some of the Hall of Famers) are still very affordable.

Originally Posted by vintagebaseballcardguy

Hats off to you guys who have completed this set or are close to doing so. I love it but I am not sure that I could afford to build it in the condition I would be happy with, and I worry that this particular set might not look as good in lower grade.

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[Neal]

Thanks for sharing some images and comments, as well as the words of encouragement. Ted, thanks for sharing that article! I had known about some high number toughies, and that seems to explain a lot.

This is certainly going to be a patient effort as I am in no rush. I was able to win 7 low number commons for $9.99 each, so that will take me to nine in a few days - 151 to go, including the Mick!

[EldoEsq]

I have been working on this set, but in low grade. Been buying commons for $1-3, and stars I have been buying certified in the 1-4 range. I am about 100 cards in...missing the Mick, Spahn, Feller, the Duke, some easy commons and a bunch of high numbers.

I am doing the set as many above have stated, the photography is sheer artwork. In low grade, the set is still very enjoyable and not extremely expensive as there are no big rookies.

[the 'stache]

When I get back to collecting, the '53 Bowman set is one of three I'm going to focus on; that, the '75 Topps, which I have a nice start on, and the T206 is the other. I'll bounce back and forth between them, but my main focus will be the Bowman.

The '53 Bowman set is, in my opinion, the only one that challenges the Monster for sheer beauty. They're neck and neck, and, honestly, I don't think I could choose one over the other. I love them equally. But the '53 Bowman set perfectly represents what was a very special time in baseball, and America. It's a time capsule of a time after the WW II, before Vietnam and the turbulent 60s. Sixteen teams, two pennant winners, one World Champion. No DH. No wild card teams. No interleague play. The Dodgers were still in Brooklyn. The Braves were in Milwaukee.

The photography is just special. Those old players, those unis, those stadiums. Perfection.

Good luck with the set, Neal. Great choice! I look forward to seeing yours (and mine) grow. We've got the same idea in mind. 5/6 grade with high eye appeal. Hopefully we won't be competing for too many cards. You've got a head start on me

[the 'stache]

Here are a couple from my humble (and small, thus far) collection:



I'd like to have a set in the EX to EX-MT range. The Irvin and Kiner will be replaced with examples demonstrating better centering. I wasn't as picky about centering when I bought these. It will take me a long time, but it's good to have goals.

[RayBShotz]

I love the way the photographer took most of the photos for this set from ground level up.
Makes the players seem larger than life, which to us kids who collected the cards, they were.
RayB

[Manny Trillo]

Do you all see a lot of out-of-focus cards in this set?

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[Neal]

Originally Posted by Manny Trillo

Do you all see a lot of out-of-focus cards in this set?

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I have not seen too many out of focus cards, but the Slaughter seems to be one that is slightly out of focus.

Have you?

[MikeGarcia]

[QUOTE=Manny Trillo;1596949]Do you all see a lot of out-of-focus cards in this set?




...Actually , I've found that centering on the '53 Bowmans is as bad as or even worse than any '50's Topps , considering there are only 160 cards in the set...
.
. I love the tan on Kellner ; he must have just come back up North from Spring training in Florida...

..

[Manny Trillo]

Thats funny, the Slaughter is the one I own and its out of focus. I wonder if they are all like that.

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[Neal]

Originally Posted by Manny Trillo

Thats funny, the Slaughter is the one I own and its out of focus. I wonder if they are all like that.

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I think so .... at least all the ones I have seen.

...Actually , I've found that centering on the '53 Bowmans is as bad as or even worse than any '50's Topps , considering there are only 160 cards in the set...

Centering is a big issue on this set. Cards 112-128 are really tough to find centered.

[Neal]

Decided to stick with this one (have yet to successfully complete a set other than a player set) and added these today .....

36 Minosa.jpg

81 Slaughter.jpg

The Minoso is one of the most appealing cards ever created, imo (coincidentally, so is his 54 Red Heart imo) and the Slaughter seemed to be slightlybetter than most I have seen in terms of focus

almost at 50% with these two - which is monumental for this collector

[RayBShotz]

Looks like Enos is stuck in a sand trap!
Peculiar looking sand wedges he's holding.

Nice cards Neal.
RayB

[aconte]

Good luck with the set!