Pancho Villa Trigger Finger For Sale in Texas

 

Creator Recognizes His Work

 

The trigger finger  of the Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa, which has been in a shop in Texas is for sale for more than nine thousand dollars without guaranteeing its authenticity.

 

The finger is the work of Mark Frierson,  a sculptor who specialized in sideshow art.

The displays is made to make people think that it is real, Frierson explained, he was surprised and its funny that there is some much attention around  the piece which has  been on display in Dave's Pawn Shop for sale for quite awhile.

I have been told  that many Mexicans cross the border for one reason and that is to  see it, Frierson said. It’s surprising, that one of his many creations attracts as much interest and curiosity.

Frierson first read (last Tuesday) an article by an international news agency,  about the supposed finger of Pancho Villa being for sale.

 

The article stated that reporters from different media outlets visit daily wishing more information about the finger.

Frierson said  he noticed the finger several months ago on the Internet  which was for sale at Dave’s Pawn Shop..

I saw the photo and I recognized the piece. It was one of mine, I created it,  he said.

 

The finger is in the same display in which I use and the note that explains the history of the finger is also include with each of my gaffed fingers the history of Villas’ finger comes framed.

 

 

Framed History include with the Poncho Villa Finger by Mark Frierson

 

It is very probable that the pawn shop also has the authenticity certificate that I include with each of my pieces, the artists said.

 

Frierson said that this is a ridiculous situation that one of my pieces is offered for more than nine thousand dollars when I sell them for around a hundred.

 

The Villa finger is one of the most popular creation that I make, he stated.

 

I have created between 25 and 50 pieces, they have certainly become popular with collectors, said the 46 year old artist and he has dedicated 20 years to creating this type of gaffs.

 

My Pancho Villa fingers are found in many parts of the country, In fact one is owned by Willie Nelson a well know country music entertainer and he displays it in his home.

 

Frierson gave one to Nelson after Nelson added the song" Pancho and Lefty" to his repertoire. The song is an account of the history of a Mexican bandit called Pancho, although without direct reference to the Mexican revolution, whose true name was Doroteo Arango.

 

Frierson remembered making the first finger in 2005, after that I found a woman who sold the reliquaries which I found to be a great way to display the fingers in.

 

I read about the history of Pancho Villa and how after being buried, someone violated his tomb and the robber took his head.  I imagined that if his skull was lost, then maybe one of his fingers could have been taken also.

 

I had the idea to combine one of the framed history that I was making with one of the Villa fingers.  It was the right trigger finger of Pancho Villa which I felt would be the best to use.  That’s how the piece was born, he explained.

 

Article submitted by Mark Frierson

 

Entire article can be found in Spanish here Excelsior

 

 

Pancho Villa Trigger Finger by Mark Frierson

In the collection of John Robinson