Lowbrow Question: Who Was The Baron?

From the Art History inbox:

I have a sweat shirt painted by "The Baron & Roth." I feel the Roth part is Ed "Big Daddy" Roth. Who is, or was, The Baron? I have two post cards from them sent in 1959.

Sid S

Sid, you have treasures! O. Z. "Bud" (aka "The Baron") Crozier is legendary in kustom circles. He got his start painting pinstripes on Studebakers--wagons and buggies, mind you. After going on to work at a Ford plant in Detroit for over two decades more, he was getting on in years by the time he opened the Crazy Painters kustom shop in the mid-1950s. The Baron's first partner was his grandson, a very young Tom Kelly (who is known simply as Kelly, and still runs the Bellflower, California "Kelly & Son Crazy Painters" business to this day).

Now here is where things get interesting for you. You are absolutely right that "Roth" was Big Daddy. He joined Baron Crozier as a third partner at Crazy Painters shortly after the shop opened. The two older partners only worked together for a few short years, until around 1959 (the dates on your postcards). Roth then moved on to pursue his own projects, and Crozier passed away in 1962.

However! One of the innovations that came from their brief-but-glorious collaboration was Roth's idea to airbrush sweatshirts with club names and a "weirdo" (his word, not mine) head. The Crazy Painters did a brisk business with these at $4 a pop. So what you have, Sid, is not only a Lowbrow prize, but also an item from the birth of a huge fashion industry: tee-shirts and sweatshirts with designs, writing and/or logos printed on them.

Hope this helps, and thanks for the excuse to talk about one of my favorite art movements--and to slide a hot rod mix CD into my computer's drink holder. There's still nothing quite like a little Jan and Dean to get the blood pumping.

Related Reading:

• The Lowbrow Movement - Art History 101 Basics
• "Crazy Painter" - an interview with Tom Kelly, from Rumpsville.com
• Ed "Big Daddy" Roth - article from the Peterson Automotive Museum
• Ed "Big Daddy" Roth Rat Fink Memorabilia - from About.com Mustangs
• Shut 'Em Down! - Hot Rod Music from About.com Oldies