The Newest Member of Vealtones

This weekend was the annual card show in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where I live. It's my favorite show, and I look forward to it every year, am often counting the days like a five-year-old waiting for Christmas. This year, though, I missed the show. And I could care less. 

What would make a cardboard addict not care about missing his favorite show?

Well, that'll do it. Meet Evy Jo, the newest Vealtone, my daughter, born Saturday, February 9th, the same day that some card show was going on. She's gorgeous and already brilliant and healthy and--OK, I'll stop gushing. 

It kind of puts everything in perspective. I'll likely be a little slower on posts in the near future, and for those of you I've bee talking to about trades, it'll likely be a while before I get back to those offers. I'll be busy enjoying this sweetheart. 

Don't worry. Evy Jo's a daddy's girl, a future collector, so we'll be back soon.

Kaline Masterpieces

Of my recent Kaline purchases, this Gallery card has to be one of my favorites. I'm starting with this picture, because, heck, I wanted you to see this masterpiece teased in the blog rolls so you'd come on over and take a closer look.

And take a closer look! This card is truly a work of art. I absolutely love this set, and once I knew this card existed, I had to have it. I love everything about it. This has everything that works on an art card design. The one thing I can't quite figure out is the rainbow spectrum on the left. It feels a little like I'm looking at a Sherwin Williams paint swatch. But I don't mean to complain.  This card is awesome. 

One new work of art calls for an old work of art.

It's a little dinged up and off center, as all of my vintage Kalines are, but that takes nothing away for me. I especially dig the big 6 on the shoulder. I snagged this for under $2 shipped.

This one comes from the virtual dollar box that is eBay. This might be my lowest numbered Kaline, which is mainly why I bought it. That and it's shiny and die-cut. Otherwise, it's kind of a terribly designed card. The picture is blurry and looks completely out of place on this super-futuristic-lasers-shooting-out-my-eyeballs card. Still, it's absurd anachronisms definitely have a place in the collection.

Compare the last virtual dollar box card to this beauty. Now, this is how you do a super-shiny card of a vintage player. This is an awesome-looking card. But not quite the masterpiece like at the top of this post.

Big Cards from Fuji and Baseball Dad

I'm a lucky guy, and perpetually behind. Lucky because I've traded with some very generous fellas from the blogosphere, and behind because these trades are from months ago.

Like this trade from the famous Chronicles of Fuji:

This was the centerpiece of our trade, and it becomes a centerpiece of the Pudge collection. Guillen and Sheffield (wearing the wrong jersey) are Pudge's backup for his barbershop trio. So, yeah, this card is cool, but it's also a 1 of 1. Check the bottom corner. 75/75 equals 1/1, on eBay anyway.

This trade got bigger and smaller. Fuji sent an over-sized Ripken and some mini Ripkens. I love how these look next to each other.

And big and small Team Lou-Tramm. I have no idea how to store these giant cards, but they're awesome.

Thanks, Fuji.

You have the coolest damn calling card in the biz. 

Another iconic blogger I recently traded with was everyone's favorite paternal blogger, Baseball Dad.

Hey, it's another over-sized card! I really know nothing about what this is or where it came from or, again, how to store it, but it's cool.

I was probably most excited about getting a few more cards for the only set I'm working on. These were much needed, and it had been a long while since anyone had knocked a few needs off the 2007 Bowman Heritage want list.

What would a trade be without a few sweet Ripkens?

Baseball Dad also sent some great Pudges and Cabreras and other nice random extras. I love this '80s Fleet Whitaker, and those Ripken Holiday Inn cards are always great for a laugh.

Finally, I got this sweet pack of cards in the trade. I'd never seen these before, besides in other trades from Baseball Dad. This was a pretty great pack with an insert and some stars. 

So, thanks, Baseball Dad and Fuji, for the great trades. I hope we can get some more trading going on in the future.

Card Show-off: 5 for 10 Pudge Splinters

I'm wrapping up showing off my most recent card show today, which started in the last post. I did the dime boxes last time, and today will be the big-time hits. Hits for me are dollar box cards. I know, it's pretty sad how cheap I am, but finding the bargain is the thrill of the show for me. 

And I found some real bargains. I also broke the bank. This card came out of a 5 for $10 box that was full of great GUs. $2 per card is high-rolling. This was one of my favorites to add to the Pudge collection. It's the first card I own with these two amazing catchers both featured. The slices of bat have a lot of personality. I dig the design of this card.

Another awesome $2 Pudge bat cards with a bunch of other great catchers from the '90s. I find these cards a little boring. For some reason, the more relics and players with threadbare connections you put on a card the less exciting they become. Still, a great card for the collection at this price.

And, of course I was excited to snag up this card from my favorite modern set: 2007 Bowman Heritage, which I'm only a few cards from finishing. (Ahem, want list plug.)

But then there were no more Pudges, and I still had two cards to finish off my $10. So...

One good Pudge deserves another. It's Pudge the first! Fisk is a player collection I've been working on a bit more informally. I'm always happy to add his cards.

Here was my last card of the deal, which I tossed in last-minute. I don't necessarily collect Juan Marichal, but I thought this was a cool card, and I love the old school jersey swatch. It's a card I picked up thinking maybe another blogger would want it and trade me something cool for it, but it's also the kind of card I wouldn't mind incorporating into the Vealtones. I'd certainly listen to offers for it.

That does it for this card show. I have another one still to post. And next weekend is my favorite yearly card show right in my very own town. However, I might have something even cooler to do on that day. Mystery...