1961 Topps "Pre-Production" Dick Howser

[laughlinfan]

Beautiful! This is not a Topps Vault item - looks to have the 1989 Topps Auction stamp on the top right. Odd that they stamped it on the front, since most times I have seen the stamp on the back. The flexichromes are great - I still can't comprehend how they get the colors, detail, and shading so precise on these small pieces. OK, other than incredible talent!

[RCMcKenzie]

Al, I like that 64-Stand-Ups display. Very cool piece.

Dave and Marty, thanks for the information. Very helpful.

I noticed that the Howser is framed in a similar way to the 1953 Topps Calderone that sold a couple of days before. It may have been owned by the same collector. I'm more familiar with the mini-paintings that form the basis for the card.

Also I found an old REA auction of the 1961 "Mantle Blasts" card, which has a detailed description. From what I've learned, this Howser could be called the "original artwork" for the card. Thanks, Rob

http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/...-card-artwork/

[Marckus99]

59/60T Gentile

[laughlinfan]

That would absolutely be considered original artwork for the card! I went and looked at the Heritage auction description, and I think they seriously under described it! A "final pre-printing" sounds like a printed proof, and that's not what this is. I think the original sale price at the Topps auction (especially in 1989) was VERY high, and I think the price you got it at was pretty low! So hard to know with these true 1/1s - maybe the original buyer was a big fan of Kansas City sports, since he was with KC in this artwork, and had won the World Series managing the Royals (before his tragic passing) a few years prior to 1989.

Anyway, love these flexichromes - nice to see some folks share theirs!

[Exhibitman]

A touched up photo is the original art if it was photographed to make the card. Here is an example from the Vault:



Is it possible that the Howser is a 'draft' version used to make decisions on colors for the final?

[laughlinfan]

Hey Adam! The Howser is definitely a flexichrome "painting" of an original (likely) B&W photo. The notes visible appear to be instructions on how the picture was to be painted, with instructions like "Red KC" and "Black and red stocking - Red Stripe" for the cap insignia and the stripe on the socks. I think they would generally note fine adjustments in the printers proof process, as I have seen proofs where notations on the colors were made. But I will let others more versed on the process chime in!

[toppcat]

Yup, flexichromed. What they did after I don't know exactly but they cropped it up top (note the top horizontal line on the right side tape) and also (unindicated) a little on each side before adding the neatline and player and team name plates below. It's the best example -- and certainly the most colorful -- of an original Topps flexi I can ever recall seeing.