New posts, new sketches and a new record

I haven't posted in a while. Ok I haven't posted since January. There are many reasons for this lag none of which I will go into detail here.

Since my last posting a new record was set in the vintage baseball card market.

The T206 Honus Wagner card graded by us sold for a record $317,000 including buyers premium. Now, that is a record for any example graded a 1.
That is also the record for any example graded a 2. It was an honor to authenticate a card of this importance.


I attended three card shows since my last posting. I carry my sketch book with me to shows as there is usually time to waste sitting in airports and the like. You can only drink so much before that gets boring.

The first sketch is of a photograph I purchased at the Pittsburgh show. The photo shows an aging Honus Wagner at the 1948 Pittsburgh Pirates spring training in Miami Beach.

Only in 1948 can a man wear a dress shirt and dress shoes on the beaches of Miami and not get strange looks. Maybe he did get strange looks. I doubt 'ole Hans gave a crap what anyone thought of him.

I did this sketch on the return flight from Pittsburgh. Had a row in the rear of the aircraft all to myself and plenty of room to spread out and work.



The second sketch is of a photo I already had. It is of a player with the minor league farm team of the Philadelphia Phillies. I did this sketch on the flight back from the Hofstra show in New York.

I try to get a row to myself so I can freely sketch. If not, I tend to get the flight attendants and other passengers interest. They usually hover around trying to see what it is I am doing. Oh well. Usually a polite nod and a smile and they will move on.



And on a happier note, besides being my wifes birthday, it was also the 9th week to the day since my cartoon submission to Readers Digest was mailed out. Ironically enough I received a rejection notice today in the mail.