1948-1955 Bowman series divisions and sheet layouts

[toppcat]

Ted talked with Moll late in the ad man's life, who knows what his recall was at that point. Ted had many theories, not all were fact-based.

Zabel was printing the Bowman cards from at least 1950 I believe, not sure/can't recall if they were used earlier. I blogged about them a few times, most pertinently here (make sure to read the comments):

https://www.thetoppsarchives.com/201...-contents.html

Two comments of note thereon:

From Doug Hall, who worked there in 1962 and was grandson of William Zabel. He commented regarding about Zabel's presses:

"The Bowman cards were printed on a German-made multi-color press (I think it was a Heidelberg)from zinc plates, one for each of 4 ink colors. Before printing actually began. the press ran a sheet through each color, one at a time. I once had a full set of sheets of the 1953 Bowman cards of 1 color each (yellow, blue, magenta and black I think)."

An anonymous commenter stated: "I think the two 58” 2-color Harris presses at Zabel came from the Topps plant in CT. For a time, Topps May have printed the backs and LBP the fronts. Zabel bought their 60” 5-color Miehle to print Topps fronts."

That Connecticut Topps plant closed around 1971.

[G1911]

And here are some examples of the Navy Victories (credited to 1954, but I'm not sure if that's researched or just a conventional date. Lots of the claimed dates for 50's non-sport are not quite correct) and a 1955 baseball. Both are not full sheets, just panels.

I could have sworn a full 55 Bowman Baseball sheet appeared a couple years ago and we had a thread about it but I cannot find it now....



1953 Bowman football is almost certainly a 1 series release. I suspect there may be DP sequences, not random SP's. This Cross miscut has the third group of 65-96 printed above the first group of 1-32, if these conventional print sequences are correct. PSA populations clearly trend higher for 1-32.

[G1911]

And here's a debunking for 1955. 1955 is allegedly the same 8x4 32 card sheets, with 5 series and the first two being more common than the last 3.

#62 Blanda is allegedly a second sheet (33-64) card, in the bottom row of the alleged 8x4 layout. He's actually above a yellow card, which is probably #70 Jim Ringo, who is allegedly in the top row of the 3rd series 8x4 sheet.

Other examples proving the same can be found

[G1911]

And here is one showing #35 Veryl Switzer, allegedly the top row of sheet 2, is actually below Jack Simmons, allegedly in the bottom row of sheet 1.

So "sheet 1" actually has at least alleged series 1/2/3 all on it.

[G1911]

Now this is where it starts to get interesting. 34 HAner is the card to the left of Switzer, in the top row of "sheet 2". 39 Dick Flanagan is the second to last card in the same low.

With sheet 2 actually a panel printed below sheet 1, these cards would not have yellow cards above them at the top. Both these miscuts line up with the bottom rows of sheet 3, Tom Bettis and Breezy Reid.

It looks like we have, on one sheet on top of each other, panels representing:
1-32
33-64
65-96
33-64

[G1911]

I'm looking for 'series 1' now repeating below 'series 2', as those cards are quite common relatively. Looks like #59 Charlie Ane here shows him above the corresponding slot on the top of 'series 1', #3 John Olsewzki.

That puts us at this pattern of the blocks:
1-32 above
33-64 above
65-96 above
33-64 above
1-32

[G1911]

And this #32 Van Brocklin shows 1-32 above a blue card, which would b3 #72 Tittle (i.e., 1-32 above 65-96) or Nomellini (i.e., 1-32 is above 97-128). I strongly suspect it is Tittle.

1-32 above
33-64 above
65-96 above
33-64 above
1-32 above
65-96 (possibly 97-128)