Final Auction Price
*Final prices include buyers premium
$8,625.00
Starting bid: $1.00
We are extremely privileged to be able to offer a MAJOR CONCERT POSTER DISCOVERY from the early days of the Grateful Dead. To the best of our knowledge this is THE FIRST AND ONLY specimen of this poster to exist.
This poster is from a concert at UC Davis during the first week of 1967. The Dead were playing with Big Mama Thornton. It was still two months prior to the release of their debut album and just a week before the Human be-in/Gathering of the Tribes in Golden Gate park.
The Grateful Dead at this point in their career were not a household name not even close. They were not the critics darlings like The Airplane and did not have their eyes on commercial success. They were however the heart and soul of the San Francisco Psychedelic community.
The story after that is well known the Dead eventually evolved into an American cultural phenomenon that promoted the ethos of 1960’s San Francisco. To this day the Dead are adored by a multitude of music fans of all ages.
This poster was printed on heavy paper and is in incredibly well preserved with no restoration of any kind! It is is the first to appear a public auction and no other copies are known exist.
It's no secret that rare Grateful Dead concert posters are setting price records on a regular basis and we fully expect this lot to continue this trend.
In 2018 we have seen a Cheetah Club concert poster 6/12/67 (the same year as this lot) that was restored to repair pinholes and tears realize $37 950 there are at least 3 known copies of that poster. A Dead poster from 10/1/67 from UC Berkeley with 3 known that was in Very Fine condition with pinholes tape pulls and a spot with ink removed realized $9775. A Dead Troupers Hall poster with 4-6 known realized well over $30 000. A Dead Hawaii Aoxomoxoa poster with 25-35 known with restoration to repair holes and tears realized $17 250.
Other records fell when we auctioned off a FD-12 Grateful Dead poster of which dozens are known for $26 450. And last but not least The Dead FD-26 Skeleton and Roses poster we auctioned off which over 100 exist realized a world record price of $50 600.
These price records are falling becasue there are literally hundreds of advanced collectors of Grateful Dead concert posters and the supply of the very rarest specimens is all but non existent. Experienced collectors understand the chance to acquire the rarest specimens is something that may only arise once every 5-10 years. Therefore it's better to pull the trigger now while values are still super affordable compared to every other collectible in the world of similiar rarity and desirability. That way you get the pride of ownership and save yourself a fortune if prices continue to rise sharply as they have in recent years.
The situation presented here is unique because the poster is unique. Valuation is all but impossible to ascertain because this is the only known specimen and it has never been offered for sale before...either privately or at auction.
One thing is certain. The owner of this World Class rarity will own a poster that no one else in the world posseses. And when the time comes to sell this lucky individual will be in the enviable position of being able to ask whatever price price the market will bear at that time.
We urge all serious Grateful Dead collectors to seriously consider this unique opportunity that may quite realistically never present itself again!
Estimate $10 000 - ????
Poster – Grateful Dead Freeborn Hall 1967
Grade – PAE Excellent 79
Bands/Bill – Grateful Dead Big Mama Mae Thornton
Venue – Freeborn Hall University of California at Davis
City – Davis CA
Date – 1/6/67
Dimensions – 11” x 13 3/4"
Printing – OP-1 Original Pre-Concert First Printing
Paper Type – Heavy Vellum
Condition Details - 100% Original with no restoration. Single pinhole top left & right corner 2 pinholes top center 2 pinholes bottom center 1/8" tear left of the B in "Big” 3 1/2" crease bottom right a few stray ink spots and light waviness. 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. *****