This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/1/2010
This 25” by 37” oil on canvas portrait of Mickey Mantle as a clown was purportedly commissioned by former teammates and pranksters Whitey Ford and Billy Martin for a roast held in Baltimore in the mid 1980’s. The painting is signed by the artist “Baruta” and dated “1984”. The hilarios work of art bears a striking likeness to Mantle. According to reports, the painting hung behind the deus at the Mantle roast. At the end of the event, Mantle left it behind for a friend to keep. He later autographed it begrudgingly after losing a bet to that friend. His large “Best Wishes Mickey Mantle” inscription appears on the lower left area and has faded somewhat, rating 6 out of 10. For the Mantle collector who thought he had everything…Framed. Full LOA from PSA/DNA.