This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/4/2017
Charles Fazzino may have outdone himself on this one. To
honor the great Mickey Mantle, the 3-D pop artist has given this baseball the
royal treatment, with even more bright colors and sparkly features than his
typical artwork reveals. A large, glittered New York Yankees logo across the
sweet spot leads into a left panel (left of sweet spot, that is) full of Mantle’s
many individual achievements, highlighted by his 1956 Triple Crown—one of three
MVP seasons. The right panels picks up where those accomplishments have left
off, featuring a large pinstriped No. 7 at center underscored with his famous small-town,
big-star nickname, “The Commerce Comet.” The top panel has a 3-dimensional
Yankees logo at the foot of Mantle’s famed jersey with a glistening “7” in shiny
blue and “The Mick” in blue above.
The bottom panel is the highlight of this original 1-of-1 masterpiece,
literally painting the picture of perhaps Mantle’s most incredible feat: his
famous walk-off home run on May 22, 1963, that hit the facade of the Yankee
Stadium roof above right field and is widely considered the farthest a ball has
ever been hit. It was truly the stuff of legends, an almost mythological human
feat that traveled an estimated 734 feet! The artist has signed the opposite
side of the ball (where the brand label would be) in black pen. Despite the
fact that this particular piece does not have Mantle’s autograph, it is certainly
one of Fazzino’s finest efforts and one that would surely put a smile on The
Mick’s face. Presents in Mint, nearly pristine condition.