J. Honus Wagner
Object number2011.111.1
MediumPaint; Wood
Credit LineGift of Harriet and Murray Shapiro
DescriptionPainting on wood board of Honus Wagner. Light green background with grey profile image of a man sitting on baseball bat, wearing a striped baseball uniform and cap.Dimensions62.75 x 42.5 x 1.25 in. (159.4 x 108 x 3.2 cm)InscriptionsPainted in cursive on lower right corner, "J. Honus Wagner".
Historical NotesPortrait of Honus Wagner that hung in the Honus Wagner Sporting Goods Company store. Wagner started the store with several other investors in 1919, two years after he retired. The donor's father, E. Louis Braunstein, bought the store assets at auction in 1928, because Wagner and the initial investors went bankrupt. The store was originally located at 438 Wood Street, then moved to Liberty, and finally to Forbes in the 1960s, before closing in 2011. Wagner became a salesman in the new store and was paid for the right to use his name and image; he had several disputes with the Braunsteins over his commissions and even opened a competing sporting goods store with fellow Pirate Pie Traynor. The store failed and they both lost their investment. The store's primary merchandise was shoes and sports apparel, although they did sell some team-licensed goods and in the past had supplied uniforms for the Pirates, semi-pro, and high school teams in the region.
Related person
Johannes Peter Wagner
(1874 - 1955)
Related institution
Pittsburgh Pirates
(founded 1887)
Related institution
Honus Wagner Sporting Goods
Related person
E. Louis Braunstein
On View
Not on view
1911
1910-1911
c. 1850
1936
