Big Brother& the Holding Company; Grass Roots; Great Society; Quicksilver Messenger Service; Wilson, Wes

Original Concert Poster: Big Brother & the Holding Company, Great Society, Quicksilver Messenger Service ("King Kong Memorial Dance," February 26, 1966)

San Francisco, CA: Family Dog Productions, 1966. First Edition, Second Printing. Single Sheet. A poster (appx. 14" x 20") announcing performances headlined by the Great Society & also featuring Big Brother & the Holding Company, the Grass Roots & Quicksilver Messenger Service (referred here in its early form as "Quick Silver Messenger Service") during February 26, 1966 at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco under the title of "King Kong Memorial Dance." The acclaimed American artist Wes Wilson (1937-2020) created the artwork & graphics reproduced here according to the Talmudic scholarship we have studied regarding this poster (which is similar in its depth to that of our underground comix from this period), although his facsimile name or signature is absent. This copy is from the second printing, with all points in King, FD-2-RP-2 including: "(Copyright) Family Dog Productions, 1725 Washington Street, San Francisco" & "No. 2-2" at lower margin; blank white verso (first printing has blank tan verso same as background recto). Also noted in this King entry is the participation of Chet Helms (1942-2005), the legendary countercultural impresario who founded & managed BB&tHC, & who is regarded as the "father" figure of San Francisco's Summer of Love which blossomed the year following this production. King notes that this poster marks the first appearance of the Family Dog logo, but we note that a proto-variation of the logo with the famous Native American figure appeared on (presumably) the first-ever Family Dog-produced poster, for a concert held a week earlier on February 19, 1966 which directly precedes this & is the first entry in King's FD section (FD-1, see our item No. 5027). The logo here, as King notes, is the first appearance of the final Wilson-designed logo that would grace FDP posters thereafter, & it is worth quoting King's commentary on this FD logo, "...which was designed by Wilson and was used on virtually every Family Dog image after this. Although (Wilson) designed the Family Dog logo, the photograph of the Native American was suggested by (Helms). It is another from The American Heritage Book of Indians. In this case the photographer is unknown. The subject, "Nlaka," was a pamux fur trader from the Thompson River area of British Columbia. The pipe he was smoking in the original photograph was modified so it appears to be a marijuana cigarette." An exemplary early relic of the psychedelic-hippie era, in its penultimately rarest contemporary form. From the collection of Dion Wright (b. 1937), a most respected & prolific artiste & sculptor who was at the center of the scene that produced this & the many other iconic posters that symbolize an era. In our eagle-eyed estimation, this poster is in very fine condition with only slight rubbing at several small areas of blank left margin/ edge which we believe may be offset-printing residue, therefore minor flaws as issued; very slight wear & a few tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners. This item is too delicate to be rolled & must be shipped flat to assure no damage, therefore extra shipping costs will be required. Very Fine. [Item #5066]

Price: $125.00