Jon Englund
Downsizing? Determined to get rid of stuff you no longer need? Cleaning out a home or an estate? Stop. Know Before You Throw.
We’re California Dreamin’ and still celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love.
Last month, we covered some of the more collectible and valuable vinyl records of the 1960s. Hopefully, you were inspired to find an old turntable, dust off some of your old albums, and take a trip down memory lane. All the leaves are brown, and the sky is grey. You get the idea.
As I mentioned last month, the field of Rock and Roll memorabilia collecting is so vast it would take a few articles to touch on just some of the categories. This month, we will cover some of the ephemera of the era. Ephemera are things intended to last only a short period of time. Political buttons, banners, magazines and other printed materials are common forms of ephemera.
Some of the most collectible ephemeral items are the posters created to advertise concerts in the San Francisco area. Typically, these posters were produced in small runs and posted on telephone poles, sides of buildings and, of course, at the concert halls themselves. Iconic venues include the Fillmore Auditorium, Cow Palace and The Avalon Ballroom, which hosted the likes of The Doors, The Grateful Dead, and Big Brother and the Holding Company, featuring Janis Joplin.
All were looking to get the word out about upcoming concerts. So, on a shoestring budget, in the pre-Internet age, inexpensively produced posters were the way to go. A fairly small contingent of area artists was commissioned to create these colorful, mostly psychedelic neon posters, and every one of them exemplified the wild psychedelic tone of the day. Artists like Stanley Mouse, Alton Kelley, Rick Griffin and Victor Moscoso dominated the poster design scene, and many were house artists for the venues or promoters.
Nowadays, many of these posters are highly sought after and can sell for thousands of dollars. Of course, factors, such as condition and whether it is a first or subsequent printing, help determine value.
Recently, a concert poster for an Avalon Ballroom performance by The Grass Roots was spotted online for $2,350. Another, for Janis Joplin’s
March 9, 1969 performance, at the University of Toledo, was offered for $8,900. Not bad for something meant to be tossed in the trash after the event. Maybe it’s time to see what’s rolled up in your closet.
Jon Englund has more than 25 years of experience in appraising and liquidating personal property, jewelry, art, collectibles, antiques, furniture, printed items and more. A Midwest transplant, Jon trained at New York University in appraisal studies.
For more information, call (480) 699-1567. You also can send an email to Jon@KnowBeforeYouThrow.INFO.