Where is the love for 1948-55 Bowman baseball?

PowderedH2O

I've been doing some research on the boards. Bowman made sets for eight years, and there is virtually nothing on these boards showing any sort of affection for most of these cards. There was a 1953 appreciation thread, but it hasn't been touched in a couple of years. There were a couple of threads 8-10 years ago bashing the 1954 and 1955 sets. That's about it. But, why is this? I see eight years of pretty decent sets. I see a 1948 set that is MUCH more attractive than the Leaf counterpart. I see a 1949 set that is colorful and full of amazing rookie cards. I see the 1950-52 sets that have great colors and artwork and contain some of the most significant rookies of the era (Mays, Mantle, Ford, and Fox for example). The 1953 color set is one of the most beautiful sets ever made. While the 1954 and 1955 sets have their lovers and haters, they do contain Mantle, Campanella, and a few other stars not shown in the Topps sets.

I understand that 1952 Topps is the big boy on the block. I also understand that the 1954 and 1955 Topps sets are hugely popular, so the Bowmans have to compete with two classics. But, the 1953 Bowman set is every bit the equal of the Topps set, if not better. And 1951? The Bowman set dominates that comparison. And, of course, the 48-50 run is without a Topps competitor. So, what's up folks? Why is there seemingly no interest in anything that Bowman produced in their glory years? Because, as a Bowman lover of both baseball and football, I just don't get it.

ashabby

Have a lot of cards from that period in psa holders. I do like the cards myself

cards651

I first started collecting in '69. Topps was the only option. Never heard of Bowman 'til many years later. They were just a defunct company. Cards/sets may be nice but I simply have no connection.

Spahnfan

Powdered, I agree for the most part on the Bowman sets. When I first started collecting baseball cards in 1955, our local drug store carried the Bowman cards and not the Topps cards. I did not get to keep any of the cards from my childhood, as I was one of the unfortunate ones where my mother said to get rid of the cards, sell them, give them away, but get rid of them. So when I got back into collecting as an adult, one of my first sets to complete was the 1955 Bowman set. As a matter of fact, my basic and master sets are #7 on the registry. I have always liked the Bowman sets and have had partial sets of all of them except 1954. I have sold all the partial sets to buy cards for the other sets I wanted to complete that I collected as a kid. I will have to say that I did not like the 1954 set because I did not like the pastel colors and I did not like the rectangle that contained the signature.

I have a few cards to upgrade some of my Topps sets. When they are as complete as I can get them, I would like to work on many of the Bowman sets.

I agree with Powdered that collectors that have not checked out the Bowman sets from 1950 to 1953 are missing some great art work and great photography. Don't get me wrong, the Topps sets from the 50's are great looking too, and no one will begrudge anyone from collecting them. The Bowman's are just a step back in technology and charming because of that.

bishop

I started collecting in 1957, so like Cards651, started with Topps and stayed with them. The only Bowman set I eventually put together was the 53 color set, mostly because of the Musial. The Mantle is nice too

DM23HOF

53 Bowman Mick is my favorite card in the world.

PowderedH2O

The 53 Bowman is as nice a Mantle card as there is. I love the Musial as well, but I actually prefer the 1952 card. I think it is colorful with a classic pose. Oh, I'll admit it, I love the 52's and 53's pretty much right down the line, even the black and whites.

goldenhawk

I never really liked the smaller Bowmans.I do have a 1954 about 60% in PSA & a 1955 Bowman that is raw.Sphanfan,im supposed to relay a message from ur mother,she might have passed away if so im sorry,that u need to sell ur 55 Bowman set to me.Ive been looking for a graded one.

bobsbbcards

I heart these sets a lot (except for the '55 Bowman....yuch). Here's a link with images for anyone who wants to spend a week or so browsing.

1948 - 1955 Bowman Sets

goldenhawk

U pretty well have the Bowmans locked down.Ur least favorite Bowman,the 55s,is my favorite.I think what u bought as a boy usually is ur favorite.

bishop

Bob's Mom did not allow him to watch TV when he was a kid

bobsbbcards

<< <i>Bob's Mom did not allow him to watch TV when he was a kid >>


Still doesn't.

Spahnfan

Goldenhawk-my mother is still alive and is not complaining about my card collecting now. I don't wish to sell my 55 Bowman set yet, but I have a 1969 set (#11 on the registry) that I could be talked out of so I can update my other sets.

goldenhawk

I have a super nice raw 69 set or at least I think it is.I probably will never have it graded because the fees for the commons against what they r worth wouldn't be feasible.I would be interested in the 69 graded.I was just joking about ur mother but if she had passed on,it might have put a little doubt in ur mind about the 55 Bowmans.lol

Spahnfan

I just put in the scans for my 1955 Bowman sets. If anyone wants to check them out they are listed under Starfire's Basic (#10 on the Registry) and Starfire's Master set (#8 on the Registry). I have about 15 cards that I would like to upgrade for the centering. Anyone out there have any duplicates they might sell or trade?

IndianaJones

Having been in the hobby since 1961, I can tell you that there was much much intense love for all the Bowman sets. Articles were written about them by devoted fans from the early years of the organized adult hobby. They were collected fervently until most all of the choice cards were locked up in collections. Very few finds of leftover unsold boxes were uncovered, however. Those few finds became the source for eventual PSA 8s, 9s, and 10s. That there were so few finds of Bowmans was a downer.

With the passage of time, Bowman collectors have aged quite a bit and perhaps are not active in the hobby. Again, the best collections and individual cards have been purchased for big money, and only occasionally are consigned to an auction house.

The trend back in the day was to collect all the gum card sets. Again, with the passage of time, the value of so many of those cards skyrocketed during the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Then when third-party grading came along, the rush for high grade specimens brought some significant price moonshots. Today collectors are faced with the roadblock of "too much costs too much"; so, they will work on one set or two at a time. Often, they hearken back to a set they loved as a kid, or admired as a youngster but couldn't afford. That time period is now the 70s and early 80s. The former kids of that era cannot relate to the Bowmans, and why would they?

There are still fans of the Bowman gum cards. They produced during a great era of baseball history. They were beautiful cards that got better-looking as the years went on, until the last two, when they seemed to slip, and then were swallowed up by Topps, who had won the hearts of the boys who collected them.

Just my five cents worth on the matter. Take care. Collect what you love, anyway. ---Indiana Jones (Brian Powell)

mikeschmidt

I used to be a big fan of 1955 Bowman baseball....that is, until too many funked cards found themselves in graded holders.

The things I loved about the set included the following:

The Umpire cards
The fact that one or two cards were not worth as much as the rest of the set (very common for many of the Topps sets of the same era)
Some esoteric tough cards -- tough because of sheet placement
Great stories on the back of the cards.
Centering on back was brutal compared to centering on the front

ashabby

I just sent in some raw bowman color.