You are bidding on an original hand-drawn caricature of Joseph P. Balistrieri, Jr. (1940-2010), a son of Frank Balistrieri (1918-1993), head of the Balistrieri family noted in the history of organized crime in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, whose story is partly told in the 1995 Martin Scorsese film Casino. According to the Balistrieri family, this caricature was drawn by a fellow inmate (it is signed with the name "Sayles") at the penitentiary where Joseph served time in the mid to late 1980s. It depicts him wearing a suit, holding what look like three pizzas and a microphone and saying, "Remember Me! I own the finest Hotel and Restaurant in Milwaukee!" Balistrieri was the owner and manager of Snug's, a café situated inside the Balistrieri-owned Shorecrest Hotel high-rise on the East Side of Milwaukee, overlooking Lake Michigan. This picture was found in Joseph Balistrieri's storage locker in the Shorecrest.
On stiff paper, measuring approximately 8.5" x 11". Inside a protective plastic sheath.
This caricature is very intact but with some handling wear, including some minor bowing. See images, which are of the actual item, not stock photos.
This item is part of a collection of unique and authentic Balistrieri memorabilia listed for auction on this account. Please watch this account for related items.
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