Final Auction Price
*Final prices include buyers premium
$1,440.00
Starting bid: $1.00
Our records indicate this to be the very FIRST AUCTION APPEARANCE of this extremely scarce and long lost collectible!
This poster was created for one of the most iconic rock and roll performers of all time Janis Joplin for a concert held April 25th 1969 at the MIT University Armory on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge Massachusetts.
The event was part of the University’s “Spring Weekend” which featured Janis on Saturday Afternoon. The poster itself is a hand-pulled screenprint created on posterboard at the MIT Art Department by a student before the concert.
In a league of its own this relic was printed in ridiculously low quantities. There were allegedly only a handful of copies that were made by the student print shop at MIT for this Janis appearance. According to accounts they were posted around the campus and most of them disappeared.
We have included photos of The Tech Newspaper issue dated March 18th 1969 (a month before the show) featuring the announcement of the Spring Weekend April 25th & 26th events the Janis concert on the 25th and a lineup of other performers appearing the same weekend. Chuck Berry performed Saturday Night after Joplin’s set!
When it comes to collecting concert material the attributes we lay out as most important are legendary performer unique art verified rarity unquestioned originality and if possible high quality condition. Very few posters can lay claim to more than one of these attributes ... the Janis Joplin poster offered here works on every level!
This piece was owned and stored safely untouched for 50+ years by a member of the MIT University Class of 1971! We also have two other posters in this auction that were also produced in the MIT Print Shop for MIT shows before the concerts.
Not surprising this is the very FIRST time this poster has appeared in one of our auctions. It would also be no surprise if this is the ONLY opportunity collectors will ever have to acquire this special rarity!
In regards to value the market will be the authority that will decide. This is a truly special item one which the term "priceless" can and should be attached....as there are no other auction appearances to compare it against!
Poster – Janis Joplin-M.I.T. University
Grade – PAE Mint 91
Bands/Bill – Janis Joplin
Venue – MIT Armory
City – Cambridge Massachusetts
Date – 4/25/69
Dimensions – 11” x 14”
Printing – OP-1 Original Pre-Concert First Printing
Series/Promoter – MIT University Students
Artist – Voss
Paper Type - Posterboard
Condition Details - Museum Quality with no nicks cuts tears or pinholes! 100% Original with no restoration. 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 6:00 pm eastern.
*****This poster is available for inspection at our gallery by appointment. *****
*A 20% Buyers Premium will be added to the final hammer price of this lot.*
"