Cal Ripken Jr. & Tony Gwynn Dual Signed Giclee w/ HOF 2007

Product Description

All Cal Ripken Jr. signed Hall of Fame product is available exclusively through Ironclad Authentics. Every item signed by Cal Ripken Jr. with the Hall of Fame inscription must have the Ironclad Authentics hologram. If this hologram is not on your Hall of Fame item that means it is not an authentic signature!

This is a Giclee created by famed artist Dick Perez. It is signed by he Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2007, Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn. Inscribed on the photo is their newest accomplishment, "HOF 2007."

Official Ironclad Authentics Certificate of Authenticity and Hologram, and MLB Hologram included with your order.



About the Painter

If you are a sports fan, chances are you have visually experienced the masterful talents of Dick Perez. Perez is internationally recognized as the preeminent artist within the world of baseball. He has the distinguished honor of being an official artist of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York where many of his paintings hang. He has painted portraits of all 258 inductees. Each year Perez paints the official portraits of newly inducted members, and those paintings are displayed in the art gallery that bears his name.

Perez has been an integral part of the Philadelphia Phillies organization since 1972 and is the team’s official artist. During his tenure with the Phillies he has created yearbooks, posters, prints and has designed a variety of sales and promotional literature. He has been instrumental and influential in all artistic, advertising and design endeavors for the Phillies over the past three decades. Perez was the recipient of numerous design awards including his work in
creating the official centennial logo of baseballs National League and the 1993 World Series cover.

Perez reached another pinnacle in 2004 when he was honored with a solo exhibition at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Museum in Philadelphia, PA. His exhibition called Art At Home Plate - Philadelphia Baseball Legends on Canvas was the unveiling of a series of 32 original paintings commissioned by the Phillies to be the centerpiece of a permanent exhibition in the new Citizens Bank Park. Cooperstown Gallery, created specifically for their display, is a tribute to over a century of Philadelphia baseball history and the Hall of Fame members from the Phillies, Athletics and former Native Sons.

Perez’ partnership in Perez-Steele Galleries, a well known publisher of sport art, resulted in the creation of a unique body of work that art historians may well regard as the finest baseball art of the 20th Century. His works have become coveted collectibles in the sports memorabilia arena. He was the official artist of the Donruss Card Company painting the enormously popular and successful Diamond King series in the 1980s and 1990s.


Dick Perez, born in 1940 in San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico lived from the age of six in New York City's Harlem and moved to Philadelphia in 1958. He attended the Philadelphia College of Art (now The University of the Arts) and the University of Pennsylvania. He has extensive training and experience in the advertising, graphic arts, printing and publishing industries. The culmination of these experiences resulted in his strong sense of design, command of composition and artistic maturity.

Dick Perez has captured the true essence of America’s favorite pastime. His absolute artistic abilities coupled with his depth of knowledge of the game and the players have resulted in a remarkable






The Artwork Paper

The 18” x 38” paper that the Cal Ripken Jr. art is printed on: it is made by Hahnemule Papers, a 400 year old German Papermaking Company. The paper has been used by many known and great artist over the years for high end lithographs, etchings, etc. It is 100% cotton fiber.



The Giclèe Process

The Giclèe (zee-clay) process was developed in the early nineties out of a desire to blend newer technologies with an old-world craft for the purpose of creating true art prints. As a result, fine artists now have the possibility to produce prints that are uniquely dissimilar from traditional offset lithographs.

Each print maker may employ slightly different procedures to produce a Giclèe. Each print is produced individually, using a seven color digital press. Before reaching the press, the original paintings are photographed with a specially adapted 4x5 digital camera. This camera “scans” the image, capturing detail and preserving fidelity of color with greater efficiency and accuracy than ever before. The captured image is adjusted and/or enhanced to accurately match its original…or to yield the intentions of the artist. If the artist desires, he is able to be uniquely involved in all phases of Giclèe print making. From image capture to editing and creating enhancements on the computer to testing and selecting fine print papers, the artist’s intimate involvement with the print maker gives Giclèes heightened matchlessness.

After artist and print maker are satisfied with initial proofing, the image is sent to the press. The press sprays millions of droplets of the inks directly to the paper surface. (Giclèe comes from the French word meaning, “to spurt”.) The press does not use “dots” to form the image. Rather, it yields an image that is continuous in tone.

The Giclèe print has archival qualities that are vastly superior to offset prints. The special ink set employed has been tested to last over 200 years under normal viewing conditions. Because of the careful imaging process, deep shadow detail is not sacrificed and the images are produced with an extended range of color. And, the process affords the artist to once again use fine, hand-moulded art papers for printing. As a result, Giclèe prints have greatly elevated aesthetic and purposeful qualities.

Because of their fine papers and delicate quality, Giclèes are not unlike their original works of art. They must be handled with care. Their surfaces have a finish that helps to protect them, but it is best to avoid unnecessary or rough handling. When framing, do not touch the image with tools, oils or moisture. The general rule is to handle them like pastels or watercolors. They will last several generations with skillful consideration.

Numerous examples of Giclee prints can be found in New York City at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Chelsea Galleries. Recent auctions of Giclee prints have fetched $10,800 for Annie Leibowitz, $9,600 for Chuck Close, and $22,000for WofgangTilmans (April 23/24 2004, Photographs, New York, Phillips de Pury & Company.) Officially licensed MLB product.

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