Final Auction Price
*Final prices include buyers premium
$26,450.00
Starting bid: $1.00
With demand for TRULY GREAT and ONE HUNDRED PERCENT ORIGINAL AND UNRESTORED concert posters at all time record setting highs we are pleased to present the collector community with an opportunity that has NEVER presented itself before ... and may not again any time in the forseeable future. Let's start at the top and examine the uniqueness of this opportunity step by step:
First the FD-12 is a LEGENDARY issue of unsurpassed historical significance because it is the very FIRST time the image of a skeleton was associated with the Grateful Dead. This poster predates the FD-26 Skeleton and Roses poster by over 4 months.
Second we know from Eric King's Collector's Guide that just 1000 of this poster was produced.
Third we also know from King's Collector's Guide that "most of the original printing was printed on vellum." This thick vellum paper is known as OP-1.
Fourth King's Collector's Guide attributes a fraction of the original issue of 1000 as OP-2 which were produced on "very thin paper similiar to that used for handbills. FD-12 OP-1 and FD-12 OP-2 are identical in image and it is unknown if the thin paper press run came before or after the vellum one or mixed paper was fed into the press."
Fifth we know that all FD-12's regardless of their designation are extremely valuable and highly sought after in ANY condition. This issue routinely commands prices of $3 000 to $5 000 for examples with significant damage. We estimate that a total of less than 10 examples combined of both varieties exist in undamaged condition that CGC would designate 9.0 or better. We estimate the number of OP-2 examples that would meet CGC's strict standards of 9.0 or better is in the very low single digits.
Sixth we know that of the fraction of OP-2's that were produced on thin paper a FAR SMALLER PERCENTAGE SURVIVED IN ANY CONDITION compared to the OP-1. The reason for this is simple. The thin paper OP-2 version is so fragile that it even the slightest handling leaves an indelible mark!
Seventh our auction archives trace just FOUR auction appearances of th FD-12 OP-2 during the past 10 years in ANY condition. One was restored two had significant damage and one was cataloged as "Excellent Near Mint". This last example was NOT independently authenticated and graded by CGC and realized $9817 on 5/12/16.
Eighth this is the finest quality CGC graded example of this poster of EITHER variety to EVER appear at public auction. In fact this is the very FIRST example to appear with a CGC grade of 9.0 or better. It is also the finest quality example of the FD-12 OP-2 that we have ever seen handled or even heard about!
For all of the above reasons we can confidently state that this is a special opportunity that is sure to become the focus of advanced collectors following this emerging market. This poster represents the coming together of a tiny original issuance of just 1000 created by a "Big Five" artist in Wes Wilson an iconic band in the Grateful Dead unsurpassed historical significance of the Dead's FIRST association with skeleton imagery the impossible to find OP-2 variety produced on ridiculously thin paper and independent third party authentication and grade of 9.6! by CGC that confirms all of the above.
Our recently posted blog dicusses that these are the very factors that when combiuned together lead to World Record prices. We urge anyone considering a bid on this lot to read the blog here.
What's really interesting is that early Family Dog posters seem to be at the very center of today's record setting prices. Earlier this year a FD-20 graded 9.8 by CGC was auctioned off for $17 825 and an FD-22 graded 9.8 was auctioned for $9200.00 both records. We know from King's Collector's Guide that each of these posters had an original issuance of 2500 as did the record setting FD-26 graded 9.4 by CGC that we auctioned off for $50 600.
The present lot offered here had a original issuance of just 1000. We also know that just a fraction of this 1000 were produced as the OP-2 variety on thin paper. No one would argue that the FD-12 OP-2 is exponentially rarer than any of the record breakers mentioned above.
While we profess to have no special knowledge about what the future holds we can state the following with confidence: The collector that prevails victorious for this highly important lot will own a World Class concert poster that will bring immense joy of ownership now and is guaranteed to make major news in the collectibles world whenever it is offered in the marketplace again.
Estimate: $12 000-$24 000
Poster – Grateful Dead Avalon Ballroom
Sub Title – FD-12
Grade – CGC 9.6
Bands/Bill- Grateful Dead Quicksilver Messenger Service and The New Tweedy Brothers
Venue- Avalon Ballroom
City – San Francisco California
Date – 6/10-11/66
Dimensions- 14 11/64” x 19 61/64”
Printing- (OP-2) Original Pre-Concert First Printing Version 2 (Thin Paper)
Artist – Wes Wilson
Series/Promoter- Family Dog
Paper Type - Very Thin
Condition Details – 100% Original with no restoration. Superb Museum Quality with no visible flaws of any kind. No nicks cuts tears or pinholes! Rich black ink over "blast white" super thin paper with razor sharp pinpoint corners that has miraculously survived unblemished the past 52 years.
*****This poster is available for inspection at our gallery by appointment. *****
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