Lot # 7: 1981 Original Peanuts Baseball-Themed Daily Comic Strip by Charles Schulz - Signed and Inscribed by Schulz!

This original four-panel Peanuts daily strip, produced in 1981, is dated "4-28" and finds Charlie Brown atop a pitcher's mound reminiscing about the joy of playing baseball compared to the troubles of the world. Unfortunately, this venture, like all of his others, seems doomed right from the start. Charlie Brown delivers a pitch and is quickly knocked over by a hit right up the middle and through the mound. This leads him to surmise that worrying about the world's troubles might be preferable to playing baseball. The offered strip has the additional benefit of having been boldly signed by Charles Schultz in the strip's top border. It reads "To Andy, with every best wish - Charles M. Schulz." The Andy to whom this piece is personalized is our consignor, who has kept it stored in his personal collection for decades. Original Peanuts dailies have always been highly prized by a wide spectrum of collectors because of the strip's incredible lasting popularity. Strips portraying themes, such as baseball, are further desirable with their crossover appeal. A true testament to its universal appeal is the fact that even after Schulz's death in 2000, Peanuts continues to run (in the form of reprints) in thousands of newspapers nationwide. Although Peanuts ran for over 50 years, the demand for original daily and Sunday strips still far outweighs the supply and they are not often seen on the open market today. Original Peanuts strips are appreciated and actively sought by art collectors worldwide. They are universally recognized as among the few blue chip original art pieces in the entire world of comic art, and the value of originals has appreciated considerably over the past decade. The strip (24 x 7 inches) was folded at one time in the center, leaving a heavy crease visible on both sides. Nonetheless, it is otherwise in Excellent condition and would be ideal for framing. This is a remarkable surviving example of this highly desirable comic strip with the added benefit of featuring a baseball theme!