Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride

It won't take long to figure out that I have an embarrassing Hunter S Thompson fetish.  I started collecting Hunters signed first edition books about five years ago.  I even used to have an old reprint of one of his sheriff posters that he had signed.  But in the last three years I've really brought my HST collecting to another level.  The stories of how I found these things are going to get stranger and stranger, but for today allow me to tell the story of this item.

I call this item "Shot Sheriff" and it was created by Ralph Steadman.  The story goes that on the 25th anniversary of Hunter Thompson and Ralph Steadmans first collaboration at the Kentucky Derby in 1970, apparently Hunter, Ralph, William Burroughs and an assorted crew got together at Hunters fortified compound in Woody Creek Colorado, Owl Farm, and shot some shit up.  This is a litho Mr Steadman did of Hunter that he decided to unload some bullets into along with William Burroughs.  Those are real holes, and given the way Hunter decided to leave us, it's chilling.  This was an edition of 5, signed by Hunter Thompson, Ralph Steadman, and William Burroughs.  It's dated "Woody Creek 6 May 95" - Derby Day.  A signed shotgun shell from the day was included, and I have it mounted on the lower right.

This is a huge piece. 46 x 35 framed.


Here is Hunter, Ralph Steadman and Joe Petro, the printer, signing the prints.




Here is an image of Hunter shooting the print.

I found it trolling ebay.  I simply make a habit of private messaging anyone who posts any item of interest in any targeted genre, introduce myself and simply ask if they have anything else of interest.  In this case, I found myself in touch with one of Hunters old bookies, and he was ready to sell for cash.  A few hundred miles in the car, and this puppy was mine.

It hangs in my office and to this day is one of my favorite pieces. For fans of Hunter this piece is very powerful.   Little did I know this acquisition was going to lead me on a wild ride. More to come on that.