E90-1 illustration observation

Ok...here's one...I've always wondered at, and cursed, the fact that the cards I like and want in E90-1 are invariably the tougher, more expensive cards. And just like any card in any set, it boils down to how attractive (or not) I find the artwork. Nothing unusual there. But...

Does it strike anyone else as interesting that the illustrations for a high percentage of tougher E90-1 cards are much different stylistically than the rest of the set? Have a look...the majority of the set features artwork that is soft and somewhat less detailed in style. But if you isolate a number the tougher cards, Stahl, Walsh, Duffy, Sweeney, Graham, Mitchell and a couple of others to some extent, you see a distinctly different style. Harder lines, much more crisp, more detail. I think these cards really stand out, in a good way, but I am left to wonder why.

I suppose I could come up with a couple of theories with my limited knowledge of the set, but I would like to hear opinions. Am I over-analyzing it? Anyone else even see it? It is just one of those things you have to shrug your shoulders over?



(Pics from Old Cardboard.)

Ray

you're right ray...i'm kinda hazy on the memory but the jist of the theory is the artworks for these tough cards were done separate or at a different time than the rest. so the jax is just a regular card and not tough at all, but the demand for it makes the card seemingly tough.

although i have to say other supposed toughies look "normal" to me also...like speaker or karger comes to mind. LOVE the artwork on the duffy, very striking.

i'm expecting other e90-1 heavyweights like tony will chime in with a more detailed explanation.

The Sweeney has always been one of my favorites in the set along with Upp.

That would be very interesting if there was in fact some correlation between rarity and different artistic style in the e90-1 set. I don't have any additional evidence to support the theory, but it's possible. Could it be that the rare ones Ray posted were late additions to the set, and were done by a different artist? Looking forward to hearing what others think.

As far as favorite cards in the set.....for me it's e90-1 Speaker and Karger (the ones Quan mentioned) and the E90-1 Young portrait (Boston) which coincidentally I'm selling right now because I've upgraded to SGC 50...

Maybe they ran out of Lipstick

Thanks for the comments, guys. I was fairly sure this had to have been discussed before me...seems too obvious...but I had never seen it before.

As for Joe Jackson, Quan, I and my money are glad he's not one of the nicer, distinctive cards in the set. I categorize the E90-1 Jackson right along (IMO only) with the E107 Mathewson. Desirable because they are what they are, but less than pleasing aesthetically. Actually, this would be a good subject for another thread...top 5 or 10 cards where rarity/desirability are on par with bad visuals (aka ugly).

Ray

How can you say that Jax isn't one of the distinctive cards in the set? Where else are you going to see a red hitler mustache on someone?

Jay, if I'm not mistaken there is a little known, crazy-expensive and not very attractive red Hitler mustache error card in the Horrors of War set.

Is it possible these cards were in a second series and distributed later or from a certain region? what are the teams of these cards?

Lee

I love this set. There have been many discussions on how this set could have been distributed and when. Many believe it had up to 6 different printings than ran through 1910 with some of them only being released regionally which would explain some of the tougher cards in the set. I do believe the artist's who produced these did in fact change through the years due to the difference in appearance that are found on so many. All 6 shown above are very tough. I sold my set about a year and a half ago, but do miss it. I put it together card by card so it had a sentimental value, but it was time to put the funds elsewhere that were needed. Like so many sets currently, it can be completed for far less today than what it cost me to do a few years ago.

Hmmmm. Makes me ponder if I should put another one together.

Looks like different lithography to me.

Rob

Lew Lipset theorized in his Encyclopedia of Baseball Cards, Volume 2, that the "1911" E90-1s were done by a different artist, due to their different look from other cards in the set.

These "1911" cards would be Clarke (Pitts), Duffy, Graham, Karger, Keeler (hor), Mitchell (Cinc), Speaker, Stahl, Sweeney (Bos) and Walsh.

Steve