Final Auction Price
*Final prices include buyers premium
$2,160.00
Starting bid: $1.00
The BG-3 issue was just the third in the Bill Graham Fillmore series and a leap forward in design for the late great artist Wes Wilson. The shows featured Jefferson Airplane as well as the Paul Butterfield Blues Band who were quickly becoming a high profile national act after several members backed Bob Dylan at his famous Newport Folk Festival Electric debut.
This first printing poster is only the second numbered Fillmore poster created by Wilson and is also the second numbered Fillmore poster featuring Jefferson Airplane! The first print runs of the early Fillmore concert posters were much smaller and are rapidly getting tougher to find!
Eric King states in his guide: "The image is entirely lettering. The lettering is mostly a distorted oval. This is the first poster where Wes Wilson experimented with block lettering on forms which appeared like balloons. This allowed him to distort and draw attention to the lettering which was a departure from previous poster design which insisted that nothing distract from the message of the poster."
Wes Wilson's recent passing made international news due to the worldwide appreciation of his artistic output. Check out this article to learn more. Original First Printing Posters like this early Bill Graham issue will always enjoy a growing level of demand as our hobby continues to mature. A real piece of history that is sure to gain in desirability with each passing year!
The previous high water mark for this issue was a 9.8 example that realized $3 174 in our September 2017 auction. This 9.6 Superb Museum Quality condition example here is virtually indistinguishable to that specimen! Absolutely incredible quality and a true highlight of any early Fillmore collection!
Poster – Paul Butterfield Blues Band Fillmore Auditorium
Catalog #BG-3
Grade – CGC 9.6
Bands/Bill – Paul Butterfield Blues Band Jefferson Airplane
Venue- Fillmore Auditorium Harmon Gymnasium UC Berkeley
City – San Francisco California
Date – 4/15-17/66
Dimensions – 14” x 19 15/16”
Printing – Original Pre-Concert First Printing OP-1
Artist – Wes Wilson
Series/Promoter – Bill Graham
Paper Type – Vellum
Condition Details – Superb Museum Quality with no visible flaws of any kind. No nicks cuts tears or pinholes! 100% Original with no restoration.
*****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.*
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