Rare 1956 Topps Uncut “Sheet” with Mantle and Mays

[bnorth]

Eddie Mathews

If someone can explain the white on the blanket and Eddie having a blue shirt I am all ears.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by bnorth

Eddie Mathews

If someone can explain the white on the blanket and Eddie having a blue shirt I am all ears.

Good question. Although I own this piece now, I know very little about the process that created this piece. Assuming, of course, that it's legit, and not just a fantasy piece or fabrication produced to separate me from my money.

Noodling over this a bit, I noticed that a few of the white areas have the same blue tint. The uniforms of the players on the right side. The white border. All have a similar blue tint.

Not sure how it got to be that way, but it does seem like most of the white bits on this piece have a similar blue tint to them. Although truth be told, the blue on Eddie's shirt does seem to be a stronger blue than the rest.

Edited to add: Looks like the shirts for several other cards have similar issues. Sammy White, Johnny Logan, and Frank Torre, for example. Looks like a lot of them have the same issue.

[Cliff Bowman]

For those that think this is fake, HOW did they do it and WHY would they do it? Did they have access to a genuine 1956 Topps 2nd Series double sheet containing both Slits and make a huge reverse copy of it somehow?

[G1911]

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

For those that think this is fake, HOW did they do it and WHY would they do it? Did they have access to a genuine 1956 Topps 2nd Series double sheet containing both Slits and make a huge reverse copy of it somehow?

I don't think any of us are arguing it is positively fake; there is just uncertainty. Post 3 handles the technical aspect well. The other things that make me suspicious are the incredibly vague 'authentication' claim and the more academic challenge of how we authenticate something that is otherwise unknown. Unlike an uncut sheet, we can't compare to actual cards. I have more faith in our printing experts analysis than I do a claim by a vested interest party.

If fake, I would expect it to be modeled off a real sheet. My photo archives only has series 1/3/4 sheets but I'm not sure a series 2 sheet is a secret or something or actually unknown. We've known the single vs. double prints for a long time and I believe that information has been posted to this board before.

As for why someone would fake Mays and Mantle items like this, $$$$. The seller is presumably disappointed in the minimum bid sale whether real or fake.

Again, I hope it is real because unique items are super cool. I'm not sold it is real on an evidentiary basis.

[Cliff Bowman]

I personally don’t care either way if it’s fake or not I’m just glad that we will now be able to make a virtual sheet of the Series and we know exactly how both Slits go. Now watch JMoran pull out a scan of a 1956 Topps 2nd Series Slit .

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

For those that think this is fake, HOW did they do it and WHY would they do it? Did they have access to a genuine 1956 Topps 2nd Series double sheet containing both Slits and make a huge reverse copy of it somehow?

The why is simple.

The how is another question altogether.
I have doubts about the images being all that accurate, and they should be very accurate.
It should be possible to print onto an offset blanket instead of paper. Or as I mentioned run a blanket through multiple color passes.

I know the guys I worked with faked a couple concert tickets on the little press, well enough to pass at the turnstiles. (genuine asshole move, they made multiple pairs and traded /sold them to different scalpers. Like 10 people all showed up for the same seats.) but that was tiny, I think it's max paper size was 8 1/2x 11.

Hiding a big thing like this would be much more challenging. Unless the boss was in on making it or maybe a small shop owner who had a good sized press. *
I'm not sure if the new digital direct to press machines do multiple colors at once.

The catch to any of that as you say is that whoever did it got all the cards right and in the right places. And that's not especially common knowledge.

*A super unlikely method would be using adhesives and removing paper in multiple layers. I made a 78 Topps suncatcher like that using packing tape, but again, a full 56 sheet or even just the cards would be worth much more.

[ALR-bishop]

Great hobby mystery whatever it is or is not

[JustinD]

Well, it really doesn't matter but I still think it's a cool piece and I doubt it's a fake. I am also usually the most doubtful about these things and am somewhat enjoying having a different outlook for once, lol.

It's just so hard to verify a complete unicorn.

[cornhusker]

Originally Posted by bnorth

Eddie Mathews

If someone can explain the white on the blanket and Eddie having a blue shirt I am all ears.

I suspect that printing blankets are usually pale blue, the card stock usually white, and the color white often not used. To achieve white, one would allow the white stock to show thu. Even with Grey backs there was probably a white layer added to the print side of the cardboard prior to image printing.
It would be cool if there were some sort of vintage topps mfg video showing the process. Maybe they have some laying around in the vault

[steve B]

The printing blankets on our presses were green.

White is generally not used except if you want a consistent background or to brighten the colors.

50's Topps I think are layered, with a layer of white stock glued to the very rough cardstock. This was done for years. I'm not sure if it was done before or after printing, since I have some 60's "proofs" on nice paper stock.
Of course, Topps being Topps the 68-70 cards often come with an actual white layer on the back.

The M Eddies cap looks very different as well.

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by steve B

The printing blankets on our presses were green.

White is generally not used except if you want a consistent background or to brighten the colors.

50's Topps I think are layered, with a layer of white stock glued to the very rough cardstock. This was done for years. I'm not sure if it was done before or after printing, since I have some 60's "proofs" on nice paper stock.
Of course, Topps being Topps the 68-70 cards often come with an actual white layer on the back.

Topps would run paper proofs for some reason. There are 57's and 67's that I am aware of and suspect other years are still extant. The 57's are printed on both sides and my 1967 block of four has a plain white back.

[ALR-bishop]

I have one of the 57 paper proofs, Johnny Groth. Lemke pictured it on his blog years ago and reported that an ad by Richard German in The Trader Speaks that offered 32 of them for $6 dollars each in September 1979. Whether legit or not I don’t know. I have a copy of Lemke’s blog if anyone wants to see it

Fascinated by this sheet, Nicolo

[raulus]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Fascinated by this sheet, Nicolo

Thanks, Al.

Still not entirely sure how to display it!

Maybe one of these days I'll figure it out. It's just so big and heavy...