Owning 15% of A Print Run: Archer!

I recently found an incredible PC piece up for auction on eBay. I knew from the moment I laid eyes on it that unless it soared to an astronomical price I would be taking it home. I was willing to pay at least double what my winning bid ended up being, but thankfully I saved some cash in securing this beauty.

Not shockingly, it is yet another Archer sketch card. Shockingly, it's from a rare artist and one who only did 14 sketches max for the set. Adam Toews served as a Background Designer, Illustrator, Lead Illustrator, Associate Art Director, and Art Director on the show.

The seller did not include Adam's name in the listing which I believe would have certainly added more dollars to his pocket. His oversight is my gain, and while I paid more for this sketch of Adam's than I did when I picked up one of his other 13 six years back, both were still steals of the highest order.

Here is this bad boy in front of a framed print of Pam Poovey doing her best Kim Kardashian impersonation. The print is directly from one of the Archer artists I have become friendly with, Stephen Slesinski. I bought it and a handful of other prints from him that were originally cast and crew exclusives (so you know I was interested when told they were up for grabs!).

Triple Trouble

Another day, another Archer sketch card. I somehow scanned this in six weeks ago but totally whiffed on writing it up and posting it. I guess it feels like a new purchase because of that mental lapse and when I buy new sketches, I feel good. So hey, an artificial good feeling! In times like these, I will take it.

Chad Cicconi is the artist, and it's only the second piece of his from the set I've managed to track down. The biggest draw here was not just his awesome artwork and another sketch to call my own. It's that with the huge rise in cost of these sketches I was able to get three characters basically for the price of what single character cards are going for.

Archer, Barry, and Katya don't appear together on screen until Season 2's finale, "Double Trouble." Katya debuts one episode earlier but only meets Sterling.

(Zack) Wheat Wednesday: The First Ever Fleer Baseball Cards Came Out in 1923

Today's featured piece of cardboard is one of the absolute rarest Zack Wheat items I have ever come across. Prior to purchasing it, I did not even know the set itself existed. A couple of years ago I connected with a guy on Instagram who told me his friend had this card and it was available. After researching it to learn anything and everything I could, I was given a price and happily paid up.

The 1923 Fleer Baseball set is similar to many strip card sets of the time -- an existing set was used to promote a variety of companies. The W515-1 and W515-2 sets morphed into the first ever Fleer baseball cards when the company put its advert on the backs of some of these.

Other than knowing I would likely never see the Wheat again (POP 1) it's also wildly miscut which is extra cool. Add on the player whose elbow and face you can see is fellow Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby....and I had to have this at all costs.

The all-important reverse is above, and they were printed upside down. Fleer included the cards in packages of "Bobs and Fruit Hearts." This bad boy will never leave my collection!

Just Call Him The Confectionary Kid

Today's card is oddball vintage, which always brings a smile to my face. I believe I bought it from an auction house but I could not tell you which one or when I bought it. I simply liked the rarity of the set and the player struck me as one worth owning.

Kid Gleason is the player, and he was a darn good one. He pitched and hit and was the manager of the 1919 Black Sox, so that portion of the equation was easy. The set -- 1922 W575-1 Henry Johnson -- was also easy as it's a very tough offshoot set of the normal W575-1 Strip Cards.

Henry A. Johnson was a Bay Area confectionary wholesaler. They stamped the back to promote their company and finding them now is not always easy or cheap. I may not keep this card as my collecting habits/love of the hobby has changed since acquiring it, but for now, it's a very cool addition to my Vintage PC.

(Zack) Wheat Wednesday: El Principe De Gales, The Sexiest of T206s Backs!

Today's Zack Wheat pickup was an auction house score a couple of years back. I don't recall which auction house, but I felt the price was fair for a tougher T206 back and one that is easily the most fun to say out loud.

This becomes my 7th different Wheat back and while I would love to have the entire run one day and will likely keep it as a goal I will theoretically pursue, I know it's not the most likely thing to accomplish. Price and availability often make the T206 completion game a difficult task from the jump.

The back being clean is a nice plus! PSA scans usually work well for me, but unfortunately this time they came out a wee bit blurry (at least to my old eyes).