Final Auction Price
*Final prices include buyers premium
$660.00
Starting bid: $1.00
We are proud to offer what we consider to be one of the most INTERESTING and RARE Janis Joplin concert fliers/posters to ever appear at public auction! This flier advertises a Janis Joplin concert that took place on Sunday December 7 1969 at the Baltimore Civic Center in Baltimore Maryland.
But this is no ordinary concert poster. This piece was created by what must have been some of the self styled "Diggers" that were in and around New York at the time including Abbie Hoffman. Let us explain:
The Diggers known as "The High Priests of Counter-Culture" were founded in San Francisco in the 1960's. Most of the members were also part of the San Francisco Mime Troupe. The Digger's believed everything should be free and so they operated a free store and held parties with free food and free music by The Dead Janis and the Airplane.
Importantly the Diggers also sought to remain anonymous and each used the alias "George Metesky" who was known as the "Mad Bomber of New York." Metesky terrorized NYC for 16 years in the 1940's and 1950's planting over 30 pipe bombs at important landmarks in the City.
This poster/flier was obviously posted before the show as the time and day of the week are correct. But everything else in the poster is part of a subversive counter-culture message that was intended to create mayhem and confusion.
First the poster exhorts "No More Culture-Fuckers in our Community" and tells people to come "dig" a FREE concert by Janis Joplin. How many people showed up believing the concert was free is anyone's guess. Second we see a vulture sitting on top of the "Woodstock Guitar". Third the concert is being promoted as a "George Metesky Production." Fourth in the lower quadrant of the piece is a picture of a bomb attached to the Capitol Building in Washington DC with a lit fuse.
So yes we have no problem calling this a "Concert Poster" because it advertises a real concert that was held at a real place at a real time and day of the week. All of this imagery and messaging blend together to tell a clever tale of rebellion and commentary on the counter-culture attitudes of the era. And what makes this particular item even more interesting and desirable to collectors is the fact that this is the only specimen of this unique item to ever appear at public auction!
That's why in our opinion this is THE MOST INTERESTING Janis Joplin concert flier to ever appear in our auction!
Flier – Janis Joplin Baltimore
Grade – PAE Fine 59
Band / Bill – Janis Joplin
Venue – Baltimore Civic Center
City – Baltimore MD
Date – 12/7/69
Dimensions – 8 1/2” x 14”
Printing – OHB-A Original Pre-Concert First Printing
Condition Details - 100% Original with no restoration. Heavily creased pinholes tears paperloss toning tape. View the detailed high res photo of this lot. Click on the thumbnail photo to see an enlarged photo. Click a second time on the magnifying glass in the upper right corner of the enlarged photo. A super high res image with every millimeter will now be clearly displayed. For a personalized eyewitness examination call 410-464-6180 11:00 am to 6:00pm eastern.
*****This flier is available for inspection at our gallery by appointment. *****
*A 20% Buyers Premium will be added to the final hammer price of this lot.*
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