Big Brother & The Holding Co.; Mount Rushmore; Canned Heat; Mother Earth; Nolan, Dennis; Hillyard, Roger; van Meter, Ben

Original Concert Poster: Big Brother & the Holding Co., Mount Rushmore, Canned Heat, Mother Earth (July 20-23, 1967)

San Francisco, CA: Family Dog Productions, 1967. First Edition. Single Sheet. A poster (appx. 13&7/8" x 24") announcing a series of concerts with performances headlined by Big Brother & the Holding Co. (July 20-21), along with Mount Rushmore (July 20-23), Canned Heat & Mother Earth (both July 22-23), altogether during July 20-23, 1967 at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco. The acclaimed & prolific multi-media artist Dennis Nolan (1945-2022) created the artwork & graphics reproduced here, & "1967 . Dennis (self-portrait cameo of Nolan's face) Nolan" in facsimile hand-lettering, numbering & illustration is found at the lower scroll-border of performers' roster at lower center (see image). Credited for "Lights" is "The North American Ibis Alchemical Company," a memorably named incarnation of Roger Hillyard, Ben van Meter & their associates. Hillyard (b. 1942) was highly involved with the exemplary psychedelic light shows of this era, later became the proprietor of a popular coffee shop, & most recently the practicing resident of a Zen Buddhist center- all in San Francisco. Van Meter (b. 1941) was also a major light show producer & experimental filmmaker at this time, & still engages in cutting-edge creativity as of this writing. According to the Talmudic scholarship we have consulted regarding this poster, this copy is a third printing, distinguishable by "...a 1/32" dot, black over red, located near the top of the loop between the "U" and the "L" of "JULY" just to the right of the top center of the poster." (again, see image, magnified) King, FD-72-RP-3, pg. 139. King writes: "The central image is a red circle surrounded by an elaborately drawn border. Portraits of the members of Big Brother and the Holding Company are drawn in and around the circle." (pg. 139) King has entitled this poster "Family Portrait." A riveting exemplar of the classic-realist-psychedelic Nolan style at the glorious heart of the "Summer of Love," in its third-rarest contemporary (or near-contemporary) form. From the collection of Dion Wright (b. 1937), a highly acclaimed artiste & sculptor who was at the center of the scene that produced this & the many other fantastic posters that symbolize a legendary time & place (see Wright's memoir, Tempus Fugitive, item No. 5008). In our diligent & devoted estimation, this poster is in relatively very fine condition with only a touch of wear & a few miniscule bumps, creases at edges & corners; one small, semi-circular area of light smudging-fading from upper left edge above & slightly within border of Janis Joplin image (not effecting same, & likely a minor flaw as issued). Other than noted above, the entire printed recto surface is completely bright & substantially mint. 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 #5846]

Price: $110.00