Final Auction Price
*Final prices include buyers premium
$720.00
Starting bid: $1.00
This poster has been professionally conserved to offer the appearance and eye appeal of a mint example!
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.
The first printings of the early numbered Bill Graham Fillmore posters were produced in very small print runs making them far scarcer than the posters which were printed later on. Wes Wilson shaped the design of the lettering & design to resemble facial features of a human "head" possibly since hippies were often referred to by other hippies as "heads".
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. 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!
Poster – Paul Butterfield Blues Band Fillmore Auditorium
Catalog #BG-3
Grade – CGC 7.5 Conserved
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 – This poster has been professionally conserved to provide unbeatable eye appeal - Tear seals. 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 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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