Saturday, June 10, 2023

The Proof Is Out There - Part One

I ran across an old Lew Lipset consignment list ("from three well known collectors") the other day, which I estimate was put out around 1986 and was included with copies of The Old Judge newsletter that Lew put out for several years*. It is a thing of beauty and he only offered proof cards.  While I don't cover tobacco cards here, two T3 and twenty-five T206 proofs were offered, along with eight T206 print freaks.  The rest of the two page ad (on legal size paper) detailed proofs from Topps and related brands, none later than 1974. 

First up, proofs of issued subjects 1952 Bowman Baseball, including two with major differences compared to the issued card:


This is the issued card (Card #13); Mapes was traded by St. Louis to Detroit on Valentine's Day, 1952:


As you can see, the background was altered as well from the St. Louis version.

Assuming the mentioned Thomson is Bobby (Card #2), then the remaining subjects are numbered as follows:

Hutchinson (#3)
Hooper (#10)
Wynn (#142)

Next up, 1958 Topps Basketball proofs, 43 of them to be exact:


Simply amazing, right?!  Here is the issues card of Dukes (he's often found miscut):


Moving to 1963, the Bazooka Baseball proofs are also quite a thing to behold:


Yes, the illustrated panel is not offered!  Not sure why, but it still works as a wonderful example. Here's the issued panel:


I'll leave off today with one of the toughest tests sets Topps ever released, the 1967 Giant Stand-Ups:
 

No illustration was shown, so we'll have to make do. I am of the opinion the proofs consigned to Lipset would not be perforated, like this Swoboda:

(Courtesy Matthew Glidden)

But not this one, which is a finished card:

(Courtesy Keith Olbermann)

See you with part two next week.

*-Small Hobby Mystery solved (actually it was solved some time ago but not everyone is aware) - Lew had issues numbered 5, 5A, 6A and 47-48 while skipping no. 49 and said he issued 50 overall. That all works out!

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