Teamwork and talent helped former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Andre Reed get into four straight Super Bowls and eventually the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And thanks to the teamwork and talent of a local artist and an artisan print shop, limited-edition Andre Reed prints will be available at the first ever Collectors’ Expo taking place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Buffalo Irish Center. The Irish Center is located at 245 Abbott Road in Buffalo.
Cheektowaga artist/cartoonist Ken Newton, who will be a vendor at the Expo, created the drawing of Reed and handed it off to the experts at The Pickle Ship, an artisan printing company located in Orchard Park. The Pickle Ship owners, Matt and DJ Schutt, then created an engraving that will be used to produce the numbered, limited-edition Reed prints on a vintage Chandler & Price Pilot printing press during the Collectors’ Expo. The refurbished printing press dates back to 1938.
For just $5, guests can visit The Pickle Ship table during the event and hand-crank the vintage press to produce their very own limited-edition Andre Reed print. They can then walk over to Ken Newton’s table and have the print signed, for free, by the artist. For an additional fee of $30, guests can then visit the Bases Loaded Sports Collectibles table where they can purchase an Andre Reed autograph ticket and have the piece signed by the Hall of Fame wide receiver during his appearance at the show from 12:30 to 2 p.m.
“I’ve been involved with many vendor events and various collector and artisan shows, but I’ve never seen something so unique offered to the public,” said Collectors’ Expo organizer and West Seneca resident Joe Kirchmyer. “To be able to hand-crank a vintage printing press is unusual enough, but to then have the print signed by the artist and a Hall of Fame athlete makes it extra special. And when the event is over, the engraving will be ‘retired,’ so the prints will be extremely limited.”
Admission to the Collectors’ Expo is just $2, while children under 10 are free. All attendees will also receive a free pack of “vintage” baseball, football or hockey cards while supplies last. For more information and frequent updates, please follow the Collectors’ Expo on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Collectors-Expo-162985497593654.
