31 May 2013

Frankly Friday: Double Deckled

For this episode we will study two very similar cards I got from a dealer on Ebay on a fairly recent Frank Howard buying binge. I paid a bit more for one over the other partly because the seller thought it was some kind of proof or error card, but it was actually a typical case of Topps vs. O Pee Chee. Lets go back to 1969 the summer of love... of baseball cards.

Both Topps and OPC in 1969 had an odd ball insert. It might be called many things but officially they are called "Deckle Edge" cards. The Topps version is closer to the standard 2.5" x 3.5" card size than the OPC both cards are smaller than standard size. Looking at them side by side at first glance they appear to be the same. Both are black and white photos with facsimile autographs and a crazy wavy edge style. The deckle edge is an old style that is used for stationary paper and was a common style for photographs back in the early 20th century for photo albums. Anyway the larger Topps card has a light blue facsimile autograph to simulate a ball point pen signature where the OPC card has a bold black facsimile autograph to simulate a felt-tipped magic marker now "sharpie" style pen. The backs are also different. The Topps card at the bottom has the player's name in bold blue print and is numbered of  "33 photos" the number of cards in the sub-set in a rectangular lined box with the typical bare minimum Topps late sixties copyright identification info. The 24 card OPC set has completely blank backs and are not officially numbered. Common numbering for the OPC cards is standard alphabetical by player name. This explains whey the seller thought it was a promo 'proof' or a misprint. That coupled with the different colored facsimile autograph on the front makes the uninformed think its something really special and rare. Before I had done a tiny bit of online research I wasn't sure what to think of it. Another slight difference is the style of the deckle edge the Topps is more rounded and regular almost smooth edge where the OPC is mostly straight and sharp. The picture is also cropped differently on the OPC card with the facsimile autograph higher on the numbers, but approximately in the same area and orientation on the card (and closer to/on the right edge of the photo).

Purchase details: Since the two cards were purchased from the same seller they were "combined" shipping of $5.90 (I seem to recall I had asked the seller for an adjusted invoice since they said they "combined" shipping, but I guess to them that means little to no discounting, like Ebay itself.)
The cost of the 1969 O-Pee-Chee Deckle Edge blank back ("#12") Frank Howard Senators - $9.99
The cost of the 1969 Topps Baseball Deckle Edge #16 Frank Howard Senators - $2.99

My OPC card is aged a bit more than my Topps. Don't know if this is due to the differences in the card stock or just in the differences in how they were stored/exposed over the years.

 1969 Topps Baseball Deck Edge Insert 16 Frank Howard Senators
(Front and Back)

1969 O Pee Chee Baseball Deckle Edge NNO (12) Frank Howard Senators
(Front and Back)

When I was a kid I had some of these deckle edge cards I'm not sure how many or who but over time they  all disappeared, or were destroyed by my careless younger self. I think I might have even tossed some way or cut them up even more. I recall in the basement of the house I grew up in we had an old singer sewing machine built into a sewing stand. In one of the drawers my mom kept a pair of sewing shears (scissors) that had a wavy ruffled edge that to my child mind made perforation edges, which I used to mispronounce and misspell as something like "perferation". I'm sure many of these cards and maybe a few others I trimmed a bit with those scissors to make the perforation more uniform.

24 May 2013

FRANKly Friday: Dodging in 1960

[This is not the final logo just a fill-in while I work on a better one.]

I think I will try this new feature that will hopefully I'll do regularly every week. I am calling it "FRANKly Friday" it will prominently feature my all time fave SeNator Frank Howard (and occasionally Frank Robinson, and maybe a few other Franks* who have played ball, or managed in DC). It will mostly just be a regular showing off of cards and memorabilia like many of my posts here. It is an attempt to get motivated to do more posting around here. This is my least active blog of the three I do. Not sure how in depth I'll get with this feature.

So I'll start things off by Showing Mr. Howard's Rookie Card:

1960 Topps Baseball 132  1960 Rookie Star Frank Howard RC Dodgers
(Front and Back)
I also have a reprint in the chrome style:
 2001 Topps Archives Reserve 34 Frank Howard Dodgers
(Front and Back)

There seems to be a straight 2001 Topps Archives Reserve that is not chrome I need to find one of those.

*Not 100% sure how many Franks have appeared in a DC uniform. My DC Ballpark Franks list below gives the years they appeared in a DC uniform. I may have missed a Francis or two, if I have missed a DC Frank, Francis or variation of Frank please let me know so I can add him to this list. If anyone has cards of these guys, especially some of the earlier ones I'd like to acquire them if possible.

Senators/Nationals Named Frank:
Frank Barron 1914 (Played 1 game 19 August 1914)
Frank Bertaina 1967-1969
Frank Brower 1920-1922
Frank Campos 1951-1953
Frank Coggins 1967-1968
Frank Croucher 1942
Frank Ellerbe 1919-1921
Frank Hemphill 1909
Frank Howard 1965-1971
Frank Huelsman 1904-1905
Frank Kelliher 1919 (Played 1 game 19 September 1919)
Frank Kitson 1906-1907
Frank Kreutzer 1964-1966, 1969
Frank LaPorte 1912-1913
Frank Loftus 1926 (Played 1 game 26 September 1926)
Frank Mancuso 1947
Frank McGee 1925
Frank Oberlin 1907, 1909-1910
Frank O'Rourke 1920-1921
Frank Ragland 1932
Frank Robinson MGR 2005-2006
Frank Sacka 1951, 1953
Frank Shea 1952-1955
Frank Schulte 1918
Frank Trechock 1937
Frank Woodward 1921-1922

22 May 2013

Sketching Harper

Back in April (Saturday 27th) I got some card stuff that included a couple of sketch cards I bought on Ebay of Bryce Harper from the same seller, same artist. I think the seller is the artist. He goes by Qwasian on his cards. Each card is a 1 of 1 so he doesn't do multiple prints. He uses mixed medium but mostly watercolor I think. He does have some pretty good artistic talent, he isn't super great but still good. OH and the shipping was FREE!

OK so this first one of the two I wasn't thrilled with the price since it is at the top of, and almost over, my price ceiling, but I pulled the trigger on it anyway. I felt that since it was a one of one and I did sort of like it I would regret turning it down. So the price was $34.99 eek 'spensive for a new individual card. Sketch cards tend to be expensive anyway *sigh*. Hey I liked the subject matter and the way it looks so in the long run I guess it was worth the dent in the wallet. This one the paper stock itself is textured to feel like painting canvas, probably another reason for the higher price.

Sketch: Artist - Qwassian
Subject: Bryce Harper Nationals
Head shot in blue road batting helmet.
(Front and Back)
Yep there is some bleed-through of the paints/ink on the back, the next card has some bleed-through as well but not as much.

Now this next one I saw first and it appealed to me on several levels. First it was Bryce Harper OK 10 points for that. It showed Bryce in a throwback retro uniform (well cap really since it's a head & shoulders shot) +10 more points and has a design based on a vintage set, the 1953 Topps Baseball to be exact +10. The price was more reasonable at $24.99 so another 10 or 20 points. Bottom line I just HAD to have the card.

Sketch: Artist - Qwasian
Subject: Bryce Harper Nationals
1953 Topps Basball card design - throwback uniform
(Front and Back)
With this second ("first") one the card stock is closer to regular paper stock than the other one was. Another item of note that some might point out is it says "Senators" not "Nationals", "the Expos were NEVER the Senators". True but much like this blog and a lot of Washington Baseball fans it is WASHINGTON BASEBALL So who cares if it is technically and politically incorrect?



Nationals Mentioned this post:
Bryce Harper