1952 topps house gray/yellow

[flkersn]

Originally Posted by SMPEP

Hi Al,

Well, in my opinion ... the grey back/yellow tiger House ends all debate about whether the grey backs are officially part of the 1952 topps set. You wouldn't have this exact variation on both white/cream and grey bakcs unless they were printed at the same time/place.

What is most interesting is that the House appears with both variations (I do not believe the third cream/white back variatuion will ever be found for the grey backs) in both grey and white/cream backs. Meaning ... that they ran at least one grey sheet (maybe 2 sheets - but I doubt more than that) with the all yellow tiger logo (presumably the very first or the last third series sheet printed) ... then changed to run it with a cream/white back set of sheets with the House yellow logo .... then noticed the logo error and corrected it ... and then ran several more grey back sheets (a minimum of 5 sheets - but more likely 10-15) ... and then switched AGAIN back to the house regular logo cream/white version. These last two steps could be reversed in order, and maybe make even more sense if reversed since the somewhere in this mix (presumably in the middle) is the partial yellow tigerlogo. Obviously the all yellow logo could have been the start or end of the third series run - but I think the start of the run makes more sense as you would correct that error, not cause that error.

So that makes this very obviously an error they caught and corrected.

It's interesting that they ran grey back sheets at two different times in the third series print run though. It made sense that the grey backs were a one time glitch/varaition cause because of paper shorttages ... but they ran the grey backs on two different occassions.

It's hard to come up with a logical reason why they would have created the grey back versions on both ends of this process - unless they did it intentionally. It's logical to think they started the run with grey paper because they had it from the second series run. It's logical to think they had it at the end because of the 4th series run. But it's a harder argument to believe that they used the two different paper versions at both the end AND beginning of the run, just by chance - rather than they did this intentionally so they could create this variation. That's the only story I can come up with that fits the facts.

Still much more to be discovered on this set. [And I'll share what I have learned about the printing process more fully once I get my grey back Reiser. If that ever happens!]

Cheers,
Patrick

Ps - Sorry if the "paying attention" comment was obnoxious! Wasn't my intent, but in retrospect, it's a poor phrase on my part. I just was saying there was a photographed card of it since the 2006 Mile High Auction, so I was surprised it has never gained the notoriety it should have until now.

I don't know why I did not pick up on this before now. If Patrick is correct and there were two "feeds" of gray back stock into the presses, might that not explain the two gray back/front variations? That is, the "white/glossy" front and the "gray/dull" front? Slightly different types of gray back stock introduced at different times.

Further, if Patrick is correct about introducing the gray at the beginning and at the end of the run, might the white front/gray front examples run over into the 2nd and 4th series? For example, a noticeable amount of white front/gray back in the 2nd or 4th series, and vice-versa. (Not sure I have explained this very well!)

Bill

[mckinneyj]

Originally Posted by flkersn

I don't know why I did not pick up on this before now. If Patrick is correct and there were two "feeds" of gray back stock into the presses, might that not explain the two gray back/front variations? That is, the "white/glossy" front and the "gray/dull" front? Slightly different types of gray back stock introduced at different times.

I had been considering that possibility of different gray stocks as well. A visual inspection of the two gray back variations doesn't reveal anything to me - but the glossy white front variation does seem to have a rougher feel to it (even though I can't see a difference in texture). fwiw - I only have a single glossy white front variation for comparison so the sample size is small :-).

Originally Posted by flkersn

Further, if Patrick is correct about introducing the gray at the beginning and at the end of the run, might the white front/gray front examples run over into the 2nd and 4th series? For example, a noticeable amount of white front/gray back in the 2nd or 4th series, and vice-versa. (Not sure I have explained this very well!)

Bill

Makes sense to me and seems possible...

- Jim

[toppcat]

1/23/15 SCD interview with Len Brown of Topps (1959 hire date). Take it with a grain of salt after almost 60 years but the two printer strategy is interesting in terms of white/gray stock, even if it's almost a decade later in terms of the discussion below. 1959-60 was probably the height of Topps card production to boot.

"Whitebacks and graybacks
I asked Brown about the whiteback and grayback variations in the 1960 set. He said that their principal printer was Lord Baltimore. However, Topps also used a second printer, Zabel Brothers of Philadelphia. The first series was printed and ready to go early in the season and was usually their best seller. Topps wanted to make sure their next few series were delivered on schedule, and they felt two printers would be timelier than just one. They didn’t want to get stuck again with those crummy, unsold high numbers – like the 1952 Topps high numbers from Berger’s debut year.

The Topps product development people (primarily Gelman) liked to have their printers use the good-looking, white-backed cardboard, but one printer couldn’t use the white board in their presses. Brown remembers art director Ben Solomon as being really dedicated to Topps and trying to save the company money whenever possible. The gray-backed cards were slightly cheaper to produce than the white-backed cards. Solomon would go with the graybacks, if he had a choice.

Consequently, there are print runs in the 1960 issue (as well as 1959) with either gray or white backs depending on which printer produced the cards. If you look at a master set of 1960 cards stacked in a box, you will have an idea of what went on. The first card numbers up to 110 are on white stock (the first printer). Cards 111-198 are on gray stock (the second printer). The next batch is on white stock followed by another batch on gray. Card numbers 375-440 are on both gray and white stock since both printers were needed to keep up with the shipments. Finally 441-572 are back on cheaper gray stock."

[Republicaninmass]

Originally Posted by mckinneyj

I had been considering that possibility of different gray stocks as well. A visual inspection of the two gray back variations doesn't reveal anything to me -

Look closer, they are two different gray stocks

I had cosidered moving the House card, along with a few other rarities, in anticipation of the heritage signed 52 topps auctions which ended Sunday . The House card will be returning to the annals for now, or until more signed 52s come out of the woodwork!

[irv]

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

Look closer, they are two different gray stocks

I had cosidered moving the House card, along with a few other rarities, in anticipation of the heritage signed 52 topps auctions which ended Sunday . The House card will be returning to the annals for now, or until more signed 52s come out of the woodwork!

Beautiful card, Ted!