Wednesday, March 5, 2014

It's never ending.

So it snowed again today. Three more inches. I am getting pretty tired of the color white. My dog is going stir crazy wanting to run around in the back yard. They say baseball starts in 3 weeks, but that's a myth as far as I am concerned.

Speaking of never ending, do you know the last thing an artist does is sign the work? Whether a painting, furniture, sculpture or other art form, it tends to be the last thing the artist will do. When they sign the work, they say the job is finished. There is nothing more to do to it. In that vein, take a guess how many works of art (painting, sculpture, drawings, poems and the like) were signed by the great Michelangelo. Don't cheat. Think about his amazing work - the Sistine Chapel (view it in 360), David, St Peter's Basilica, Medici Tomb, Pieta..... thousands of work. How many did he sign?

I bring that up because I have two completed Projects - Billy Pierce and Whammy Douglas. Oh - didn't know I did a Whammy Douglas Project? Click the Completed Projects link above and you can read about it. Whammy was more for fun because it was simple. But back to my train of thought.

That's one dark tunnel you are in, pal.

I completed the Pierce Project a couple months back. While in the technical sense, I do not have all the cards released during his playing year,  the few I am missing are difficult because of rarity and budget concerns. I basically have the project complete. That is not to say I don't search for new additions released between 1949-1964. CommishBob from Five Tool Collector (among a couple sites he has) sent me an email saying he had something for my Pierce collection I don't already own, but was released during his playing years. Why sure I'll take that.


None of these are the item, but were in the package. Remember joining Stadium Club? I was a charter member. Still have that card, the set and the pewter thing they sent.....somewhere. How 90's is that Thomas Rock 'N Jock?


These aren't it either. The Hershberger is a needed card for my '63 team set. The Pierce Archives is always loved here in 2x3 headquarters. But what was it Bob sent?


How about a BEAUTIFUL Jay Publishing photo/card of Pierce? I have been following quite a few auctions on Ebay for one of these. Never pulled the trigger for one reason or another, and now I don't have to. Bob said he got these in a lot he scored, and I am so grateful he thought of me for this image, as well as the 4 other Jay Publishing pics he sent (Larry Doby, Jim Landis, Bubba Phillips and Dick Donovan). Bob - very much appreciated. 

So yeah - while Pierce and Douglas say "completed", they really never are. Something is bound to show up in the world that will be added to the collections. 

And BTW - the answer to the Michelangelo question is ONE. Of the thousands of work he created, he signed only one (the Pieta) and only because, in a fit of anger over comments he heard attributing the sculpture to another artist did he chisel his name in the sash. Michelangelo always regretted what he did and vowed to never sign another piece. However, up to that point, he never signed his art either. I read the reason he didn't sign his work was because he felt signing it meant he said the work was finished. And he always felt there was more that could be done to the piece.

3 comments:

  1. Love the Michelangelo knowledge you dropped on us. Very cool.

    The Rock n' Jock card is pretty sweet. Looks as though The Big Hurt is working on his follow through after shooting a free throw.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This entry on the MiLB news site contains everything you could ever what to know about Good Ol' Whammy!!

    It's one of the best cards in the set.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a great song from the 80's. As for the Rock N' Jock Thomas... what a great card from the 90's.

    ReplyDelete