1966-FD-26-OP-1-Avalon Ballroom-Grateful Dead Poster-LEGENDARY SKULL & ROSES! CGC Graded 7.5 RESTORED

closed on Friday, March 15, 2019

Final Auction Price
*Final prices include buyers premium
$6,000.00
Starting bid: $1.00

This poster has undergone professional restoration that offers the winning bidder the very same appearance and eye appeal of a Mint example!


The FD 26 is without question one of the “Holy Grails” in the entire Psychedelic Concert Poster genre. This issue is on everybody’s top 3 lists of “most desirable” posters. This world famous piece of art was designed and SIGNED by the legendary 1960’s concert poster artist Stanley Mouse.


The story of Mouse and Kelley searching the stacks at the San Francisco library for an appropriate illustration for the poster is well documented. The duo discovered this illustration by 19th century artist Edward Joseph Sullivan for an edition of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.


If we had to own just ONE PIECE for our own personal collection this would be it. This poster defines the term “historically important”. The “Skull and Roses” from this very poster would be appropriated by the Dead for the rest of their careers and go on to be a world famous internationally recognized logo for the band.


It is estimated that just 2500 Original First Printings were produced! Probably 5-15% of these have survived the past 52 years in ANY condition. Mint copies of this poster with no restoration now fetch well over $40 000. We at PAE set an all time record by selling the FINEST Known Example of the original poster for an amazing high water mark of $50 600 last year in our auction! Read this article to learn more about that historic event!


This is just the 4th CGC graded specimen of this poster to appear at public auction all offered by Psychedelic Art Exchange.


Poster – Grateful Dead Avalon Ballroom

Catalog #FD-26

Grade – CGC 7.5 Restored 

Bands/Bill - Grateful Dead Oxford Circle

Venue - Avalon Ballroom

City - San Francisco California    

Date - 9/16-17/1966

Dimensions - 14 3/16” x 19 15/16”

Printing -  OP-1 Original Pre-Concert First Printing

Artist - Stanley Mouse Alton Kelley 

Series/Promoter - Family Dog

Paper - Vellum

Condition Details - This poster has been professionally restored to provide unbeatable eye appeal! Restoration includes Color Touch Pieces Added Tear Seal Reinforced. 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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