Grass Roots; Daily Flash; Sopwith Camel; Ham, Bill; Wilson, Wes

Original Concert Poster: Grass Roots, Daily Flash, Sopwith Camel ("Wonderland," July 1-3, 1966)

San Francisco, CA: Family Dog Productions, 1966. First Edition, Second Printing. Single Sheet. A poster (appx. 14&1/2" x 20&1/2") announcing the "Wonderland" concert with performances headlined by the Grass Roots, along with the Daily Flash & Sopwith Camel, during July 1-3, 1966 at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco. The acclaimed American artist Wes Wilson (1937-2020) created the artwork & graphics reproduced here, & "Wes Wilson '66" in facsimile hand-lettering/numbering is found just outside lower right pink border of image near lower right corner (see image). Also credited for "Lights" is Bill Ham, among the foremost pioneers of the psychedelic light shows that were so exemplary of these early "acid rock" happenings, & who is still active as of this writing. 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), this copy is a second printing, with "No. 15-2" & "(c) Family Dog Productions, 1725 Washington Street, San Francisco" fine-printed at blank white lower margin, shortly below lower pink border line of image. King has no less than three categories for the single second press run from which this copy was made. Our best guestimate is that this copy is from the second of three variants noted by King, upon our inspection of its dimensions, surface texture etc. King, FD-15-RP-3 (possibly -2 or -4), pg. 58. Our understanding from King is that the three variants, which this copy is certainly among in any case, are equally collectible. King also notes: "The man in the photograph is the surrealist artist, Salvador Dali, and the photographer who took the photograph and collaborated with Dali on the creation of the image was the famous surrealist photographer Philippe Halsman." (pg. 58) King goes on to describe how Halsman achieved the dizzying effect of the photograph. Dali (1904-1989) is by far this writer's very favorite artist- to me he's the William S. Burroughs of painters, one might say. Dali was greatly appreciated & beloved by the burgeoning hippie generation, & King notes that "Since the '60s counterculture extolled the virtues of what the mass culture considered eccentricity, it is appropriate that one of the godfathers of the psychedelic poster art movement was that most brilliantly bizarre and eccentric of 20th-century artists, Salvador Dali." (pg. 59) Another outstanding relic of the early hippie era that would come to full bloom the next year during the "Summer of Love," in its penultimately-rarest (among three Talmudic variations, see above) contemporary form, & with singularly special significance & association. 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 a legendary time & place. (see Wright's memoir, Tempus Fugitive, item No. 5008) In our attentive & experienced estimation this poster is in relatively fine condition with mild rubbing, light browning & occasional spotting to mostly blank white margins/edges (image very bright & fine); tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners; one small area at blank upper right corner/side margin & edge with significant rubbing-staining & slight loss of paper at corner; one small, lighter stain at mid-left area of upper margin/edge (were it not for the latter two points, we would judge this poster to be altogether very fine, & neither effect image). This item is too delicate to be rolled & must be shipped flat to assure no damage, therefore extra shipping costs will be required. Fine. [Item #5186]

Price: $125.00