Final Auction Price
*Final prices include buyers premium
$1,920.00
Starting bid: $1.00
We are extremely pleased to be able to offer this IMPORTANT FIRST EVER AUCTION APPEARANCE from the 1960's Psychedelic Scene!
To the best of our knowledge this is THE FIRST AND ONLY POSTER to ever appear at public auction. A handful of handbills featuring the same artwork have surfaced over the years.
This Big Brother / Janis Joplin poster was produced for a January 5th performance at Fresno’s historic Rainbow Ballroom in 1968.
You may recognize the famous photo of Janis -- it’s the same photograph taken by Bob Seideman for the wildly popular 1967 head-shop poster printed by Mouse Studios and distributed by Berkeley Bonaparte.
This poster was printed on heavy paper and is in incredibly well preserved with no restoration of any kind!
Deep history revolves around the Rainbow Ballroom. It was originally built as the Fresno Natatorium in 1918 serving as a post-World War I Fresno indoor swimming pool complex. The ballroom flourished in the late 1960’s as a popular venue for the West Coast Sound. Legendary acts played there in their formative years including Creedence Clearwater Revival Carlos Santana Ike and Tina Turner Revue and Fleetwood Mac.
By the time Big Brother & Janis rocked this date (2 shows) at the Rainbow in early 1968 big things were happening for their career. It would only be a month later they would embark on their first East Coast tour starting with the historic Anderson Theatre in New York City. In early March they would begin recording sessions for their landmark album “Cheap Thrills” which reached #1 on the charts for 8 consecutive weeks.
This poster recently surfaced from a deep 51 year old collection of original Fresco rock memorabilia gathered long ago and kept in storage. It's truly a miracle that a rare specimen such as this one survived the past 51 years in ANY condition!
Over the past 2 years hundreds of price records for the most desirable concert posters are falling because there are literally hundreds of advanced collectors and the supply of the very rarest specimens is all but non existent. Experienced collectors understand the chance to acquire the rarest specimens is sometimes presents itself just ONCE IN A LIFETIME. Therefore it's better to pull the trigger now while values are still super affordable compared to every other collectible in the world of similar 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 it's the first time this poster has ever appeared at public auction.
Valuation is all but impossible to ascertain because this is the only known specimen to have been offered at public auction.
One thing is certain. The owner of this World Class rarity will own the only known specimen of this poster. And when the time comes to sell this lucky individual will be in the enviable position of being able to ask whatever price the market will bear at that time.
We urge all serious vintage concert poster collectors to fully consider this special opportunity that may quite realistically never present itself again! Bid accordingly.
Poster – Big Brother Janis Joplin Fresno
Grade – PAE Excellent 73
Bands/Bill – Big Brother & The Holding Company Valley Fever
Venue – Rainbow Ballroom
City – Fresno CA
Date – 1/5/68
Dimensions – 17 13/32 x 22 1/2”
Printing – OP-1 Original Pre-Concert First Printing
Artist – Rankin Photograph by Bob Seideman
Paper Type - Medium Glossy Stock
Condition Details - 100% Original with no restoration. 3/8" tear on right edge multiple pin holes tape on the back small areas of discoloration creases handling. 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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