AOR-2.187-OP-1: $41,125 (29 bids)
This rare cardboard poster was used for the April 22-24, 1966 Acid Test held at Longshoremen’s Hall. This acid test came on the heels of the famous test held at Troupers Hall in Los Angeles. The image for this piece is a simple yet very effective psychedelic design that was printed as both posters and handbills. Both are excessively rare.
This poster is considered to be one of the crown jewels of the 1960s poster world—it simply has everything going for it. Think of it this way: Acid Test, Grateful Dead, large size, great design, extreme rarity. It doesn’t get any better in our opinion. While ClassicPosters has handled four different handbills for this show over the years, this is the first appearance of a poster in one of their auctions.
Only a small handful of this legendary rarity are known and it could be many years before another surfaces. Sales records? Well, there are not many: A trashed poster with trimmed borders sold for $44,467 on May 14, 2017, and an example that was whole, but quite unattractive (with a lot of condition issues) sold for $26,400 in October 2019. The poster offered here is new to the collecting world, having just surfaced in the Bay Area. It is most likely the finest example extant. Other than some aging and a couple corner creases, it has no issues.
BG-74-OP-1: $29,375 (26 bids)
The BG-74 is one of the rarest and most sought-after posters in the Bill Graham series, and for good reason. The combination of the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane was a powerful draw in Toronto. This poster was designed by James Gardner using a Herb Greene photograph and it is the only poster Gardner designed for the BG series.
The rarity of these posters is legendary. The story is that most of them were seized by Canadian Customs authorities and destroyed. While this rumor has never been confirmed, it is the most plausible explanation. Often seen trashed and restored, this example is a very appealing poster with only a few pin holes keeping it from superb.
BG-8-OP-1: $23,500 (44 bids)
After the BG-1-OP-1 and the BG-2-OP-1, this is quite likely the most difficult early original BG poster to find in top condition. Whether the original print run was smaller or whether people just didn’t save them, the reason for their scarcity is unclear. What we do know is that we almost never see one for sale, even in lower grades.
Andy Warhol became the manager for the Velvet Underground in 1965 and he suggested they feature the singer, Nico, on several songs. While Warhol was their manager, the Velvets became part of Warhol’s multimedia road show, The Exploding Plastic Inevitable, for which they provided the music. They played shows for some time in New York City and then traveled throughout the United States and Canada until the final show in May 1966.
AOR-2.7-OHB-A: $17,625 (32 bids)
Acid test items are among the most popular collectibles of the 1960s counterculture era, but most are quite rare and seldom offered for sale. The handbill offered here is shown as Plate Number 2.7 in The Art of Rock and it dates from 1966. Estimates vary as to how many of these rare items still exist, but four to six pieces seem to be a constant. Whatever the number is, it is far from being enough to satisfy the demand.
We have located sales records for a mere two examples in the last 12 years, with the last one being in ClassicPoster's September 2021 auction; a piece in similar condition brought a record $26,450.
This fascinating item comes directly from the estate of Julius Karpen, well-known Merry Prankster and the former manager of Big Brother & The Holding Company. Karpen was an integral part of the many iconic happenings of 1967, including the Human Be-In and The Monterey Pop Festival, as well as the early acid tests held in 1965 and 1966.
BG-2-OP-1: $16,450 (31 bids)
As an original print, this is one of the toughest posters in the entire BG series to locate, especially in high grade such as this one. The original print run was very small—certainly less than 500—and was printed by Wes Wilson on an old press. Because of the worn-out press, many of the original posters have extensive ink “scumming” on the borders. This is the pleasing exception to that rule.
For those interested in the printing history of this rare poster, we encourage you to read the essay in Eric King’s guide regarding the discovery of the third printing, and the effort required to determine which printings were which. ClassicPosters rarely gets the chance to offer one of these treasures in their auctions.
There are SO MANY awesome sales from this auction worth checking out. Take a look and then let us know what you think in the comments below!
