Diddley, Bo; Big Brother& the Holding Company; Ham, Bill; Kelley, Alton; Mouse, Stanley

Original Concert Poster: Bo Diddley, Big Brother & the Holding Company ("Earthquake," August 12-13, 1966)

San Francisco, CA: Family Dog Productions, 1966. First Edition, Second Printing. Single Sheet. A poster (appx. 14 &1/8" x 20 & 1/3") announcing a concert with performances headlined by Bo Diddley, along with Big Brother & the Holding Company, during August 12-13, 1966 at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco. The acclaimed American artist Stanley Mouse (b. Stanley George Miller, 1940) created the artwork & graphics reproduced here, in collaboration with the noted American poster & album cover artist Alton Kelley (1940-2008, known as "Kelley"), & "Poster Design: Kelley-Mouse! (logo)" in facsimile hand-lettering & illustration is found just below orange-red border of image near lower left corner at otherwise blank white lower margin (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, as with Mouse, 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 our underground comix from this period), this copy is a second printing, with no thin blue line-separations between the letters in "Earthquake" & no credits other than the artists. King, FD-21-RP-2, pg. 66. King writes: "This poster is several shades of red and blue in a white frame. For many years the central image of this poster was thought to be the City Hall of San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake, but in 2003 it was pointed out to me by Christian Peterson that this is actually the Sonoma County Court House after the 1906 earthquake." (pg. 67) Another iconic relic of the early psychedelic era that would fully bloom the following year during the "Summer of Love," 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 collectible posters that symbolize a legendary time & place (see Wright's memoir, Tempus Fugitive, item No. 5008). In our seasoned & sharp-eyed estimation, this poster is in relatively fine condition with mild rubbing, a touch of browning & some short, faint creases mostly at blank white margins/edges (image quite bright & near-mint); very light wear & some tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners; one small area at blank white right lower & side margins/edges, corner with moderate rubbing incl. possible light water-staining. 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 #5207]

Price: $125.00