Auction Block: Kobe Bryant Gets the Obama Artistic Treatment

Lakers fans now "Know Hope." (And the stimulus is real!)

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"When I think 'Hope' I think Kobe. Obama was a decent test-subject though. Now, about the LeBron stimulus package …"

Most Americans know the name Shepard Fairey from the successful presidential campaign of Barack Obama (or the police blotter). The artist's red and blue rendering of the then-candidate's face over the word "Hope" became the defining image of Obama's presidential bid.

How does a graphic designer follow up such a defining moment? By giving the same treatment to L.A. Laker Kobe Bryant. Naturally.

The colors are different, with KB24 rendered in all his purple-and-gold glory, but the look of the image is similar. Fairey's take on Bryant was commissioned by the forward-thinking memorabilia mavens of Upper Deck Authenticated, who consider it their mission to create high-end collectible art that can be sold in hip art galleries as easily as in a hobby shop.

"We treat this kind of memorabilia as an art form" says Dave Sanders, director of the division. "These pieces are shown in galleries and seen outside the usual collector circles."

The artistic merit of a Michael Jordan poster might be lost on your average art buff, but a piece like "Wings-Breaking Through" bears little resemblance to the tattered paper rectangles kids thumbtack to bedroom walls. For starters, there's the dimensions: at 72 inches wide and a (numerically appropriate) 23 inches high, it presents a challenge for even the handiest home decorator. But how better to capture the wingspan of His Airness? And if that weren't enough, half of a regulation-sized basketball protrudes from the lower left hand corner of the frame, bringing a three-dimensional flair to the image.

That one sells for $1,199.99 on the Upper Deck website. It's the 99 cents that kills you.

The company's most recent sports art release is a bit more traditional compared to the examples above, but it is a remarkable item for serious collectors of means nonetheless. "Legends of Sport" is art with serious star power. Sepia-toned images of Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods fill the frame, and each superstar has signed the lithograph as well.

"We look at those guys as the three iconic, groundbreaking athletes of their time," says Sanders. "They're the most dominant sportsmen of the past half-century, and we have them all on one piece. It's unique."

Unique ain't cheap. The piece will be limited to a numbered run of 500, and each print will cost the buyer a cool six thou. The lithograph is for sale on Tiger's website, as well as a few other places, but Upper Deck also has a VIP concierge service for buyers who prefer direct, personalized service. The service has long been used to expedite sales of one-of-a-kind items, like game-worn pairs of LeBron James' shoes.

If you're a fan of the sports art genre, but don't have $6K burning a hole in your pocket, try these other pieces:

Tiger Woods' "Sunday Drive": For around $500, you can buy this card with Nike ball display included. Each white sphere is guaranteed to have been propelled with extreme force over a driving range by one Eldrick Woods. We'd say you can't beat that with a stick, but clearly, you can.

The Ultimate Fighter Poster: Sports artist Edgar J. Brown created this ode to mixed martial arts. It's great to see a young sport get the high-class treatment, though we imagine it's still pretty difficult to convince people that a guy getting elbowed in the face is fine art.

American Sport Art Museum: This little-known museum is located in Daphne, Alabama. Which probably explains why a painting of Bo Jackson scoring a TD over Alabama in the 1982 Iron Bowl is the featured item.

Leader of the Pack print: NASCAR art by painter Mark Trubisky. Thanks to auto racing, we now have product placement in the world of fine art.

Esports gallery: Features well-known artists like Peter Max and Leroy Nieman. There's a pretty cool painting of Sandy Koufax, but it'll cost ya.

Ryne Sandberg Limited Edition: Artist John Hanley created this for the die-hard Cubs fans of the world. The fact that some sale proceeds go to the RynoKidCare charity is a big bonus.

Painted Sports Equipment: Charles Fazzino makes the sports connection very tangible with these hand-painted baseballs, helmets, and even a home plate from Yankee Stadium. His list of celebrity friends is pretty impressive, too. How he got Sting to hold American Football headgear is beyond us.

We've had some good tips about upcoming auctions and events, so keep them coming at collectespn@gmail.com.

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