The first 24 numbered Bill Graham handbills were originally printed in one color on thin 5 x 7 stock. Numbers 25 through 45, and 48, were originally printed in full color with a plain back, some numbers on thin stock and some on card stock. After BG#45, all were printed on card stock. The color postcard images of Numbers 1 through 45 were printed sometime later, circa 1966-68, for sale to collectors and as souvenirs, and are vintage items although technically they are not "originals" or "first printings." The original monochrome and plain-back handbills are far more valuable and sought after by serious collectors, though in many cases they are far less attractive than the more common color postcards.
"Show backs" are cards that have a listing of upcoming Bill Graham events on the reverse side. These cards were designed to be handed out at the shows or as promotional items in head shops, hip clothing stores, etc. in order to publicize upcoming gigs. Show backs are generally harder to find than "postcard backs," which have a "place stamp here" back and were designed to have a handwritten message written in, addressed, and mailed like any other postcard. Most of the later BG cards (post-200 or so) were produced as show backs or mailers only (see below).
"Mailers" were sent to people who had signed up on the Fillmore mailing list; these cards typically have a bulk rate stamp and are imprinted with the recipient's name and address on the reverse side. The first mailing list cards (prior to BG 68-69) were single-image cards, with one exception I can think of. Most of the cards thereafter were printed as double cards (2 different poster images on one card; for example, BG-109 and BG-110). The majority of mailers from BG 68 to BG 132 are printed with the bottom of one card joined to the top of the other, although there are a few side by side cards in that range as well. From BG 134 to the end of the series all mailers have 2 cards printed side by side. Because the postal service often folded them in half to fit them in mailboxes, and because the recipients more often than not put them up on walls and bulletin boards, clean high-grade mailers with the recipient's original address imprinted on the back are much harder to find than standard Fillmore cards, and assembling a set of them is a collecting challenge because you can't go to the big commercial dealers to find them. You have to find someone who has/had a family member who was on the original mailing list and took reasonably good care of his or her cards, or who acquired them from such a person.
WARNING: Beware of cards that are in fact double mailers that have been cut in half. Sadly, this was a common practice in the "good old days" as many recipients cut their cards in half to make single poster images for display. In my opinion and that of most other collectors, a "cut double" (half of a double mailer) has little or no collector value, except perhaps for display purposes or as a filler copy for a very rare card. When you are buying a rare later card, like 89, 105, 175, 199, 216, etc., LOOK CAREFULLY TO MAKE SURE IT IS NOT HALF OF A CUT MAILER (check the edges and reverse side very carefully). If the other side of a single post-BG 69 card has a bulk rate stamp or an imprinted address, it is almost always a cut double (with possibly 2 exceptions I can think of). There are other things to look for as well. If you have any questions about specific cards in this regard, you can ask me or, better yet, buy Eric King's guide, which has all the info you'll ever need to work your way through the myriad of poster and handbill variations in this series.BG #3, Butterfield Blues Band, Jefferson Airplane, 4/16-17/66, Fillmore; early red and orange design by Wes Wilson with head-shaped center, red background, red and orange lettering. I have 1beautiful NM ORIGINAL 6.5 x 9.25 black and white handbill; 1 copy that is maybe NM- ; no creases or pinholes but has just a hint of paper age around the edges, $150. (*)
BG #13, Lenny Bruce, Mothers, 6/24-25/66, Fillmore; orange and blue color card with image of Lenny Bruce; short margins top & bottom, West Coast Litho reverse, VG; light paper age and 2 small pinholes in image, $7.00.
No #, Allen Ginsberg. Sopwith Camel, others, 7/17/66, Fillmore; A.R.T.S. benefit; Wes Wilson design, this is the version that is dark purple on thin white paper; for illustration of the poster which is on blue stock, see The Art of Rock, pl. 2.75. This copy is in nice shape, no pinholes, front is solid VG+ or better with couple of minor marks; reverse looks like it was pasted in a scrap book at some point so it has some discoloration smears from some kind of adhesive; extensive but do not show through on front, very decent copy of a scarce handbill, $95.
BG #19, Michael McClure's "The Beard" (stage play), 7/24/66, Fillmore; line drawings of Billy the Kid and Jean Harlow by Wes Wilson; very rare 5.5" x 8.5" handbill, never reprinted as a postcard; comes in several different color variations. Reverse has a reprint of a newspaper article about the show. Blue on brown version, nice NM copy, $600.
BG #23, Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, 8/12-13/66, Fillmore; classic early Wes Wilson image with early photos of the Dead and Airplane and great swirly red lettering on purple background. 4 NM postcards, Creative Litho reverse, NM $22.00 each. (*)
BG#25, Great Society, Sopwith Camel, 8/26-27/66, Fillmore; beautiful red and blue image by Wes Wilson with classic photo of a beautiful smiling Grace Slick, shortly prior to the time she joined the Jefferson Airplane. 5 beautiful NM copies, West Coast litho card back, $27 each. (*)
BG #27, Mothers of Invention, Oxford Circle, 9/9-10/66, blue & orange image by John Myers with photo of the Mothers; very nice ORIGINAL THIN PAPER version, one insignificant wrinkle in lower LH corner outside image, don't worry about it; great copy of this early original thin paper handbill, $160.
No #, Jefferson Airplane, Great Society, Elvin Jones, Joe Henderson Quintet; Big Mama Thornton, others, 9/11/66, Fillmore; benefit for Both/And jazz club; 8 « x 11 black & white with dripping paisley doodads and small hand lettering; for illustration, see The Art of Rock, pl. 2.74. Solid VG+ copy, two staples at very top and lower center, not obtrusive; minor scuff mark top center, minor 1/8" drip mark or stain in RH margin; nice condition overall, $100.
BG #29, Jefferson Airplane, Muddy Waters, Butterfield Blues Band, 9/23-10/2, Fillmore & Winterland. Wes Wilson's iconic masterpiece "The Sound" with image of dancing nude woman; orange background. Discerning the differences among some of the 5 vintage printings of this poster can be a collector's nightmare. 6 "PC-3" versions with Creative Litho postcard reverse; NM $24.00. (*)
No #, Manitas de Plata, 10/20/66, Fillmore; this was a Bill Graham show although it was not a numbered series item; this version of the handbill is 5 x 7 black on brown stock and shows a photo of the artist playing flamenco guitar; reverse has a newspaper item about him. This is a hard handbill to find and is a necessary addition to the collections of hard-core completists who want to include the un-numbered Fillmore items in their collection. Nice NM- copy $150; slightly less VG+ copy $125. (*).
BG #32, Grateful Dead, Lightning Hopkins, Loading Zone, 10/21-22/66, Fillmore; B & W image with classic early photo of Jerry Garcia sans beard. West Coast Litho postcard, 2 NM copies avail. $22 each; 1 VG/VG+ light general age, $16. (*)
BG #33, Yardbirds, Country Joe & the Fish, 10/23/66, Fillmore; pink and black postcard with classic photo of Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page et al. 3 NM West Coast Litho cards, $20 each. (*)
BG #34, Captain Beefheart, Chocolate Watchband, Great Pumpkin, 10/28-30/66, Fillmore; beautiful red & blue Wes Wilson design with sort of an Egyptian lady; 2 NM copies of the PC-2 version of the postcard, $17.50 each. (*)
BG #35, Muddy Waters Blues Band, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Andrew Staples, 11/4- 6/66, Fillmore; red and green Wes Wilson card with photo of Muddy, typical lettering and background; original plain back handbill, 1 copy VG, pinhole tear at top center, otherwise clean, $30; second copy VG/VG+ lignt general age $35. (*).
BG #37, Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, 12/30-31/66, Fillmore; classic beautiful design for the first Fillmore New Years' Eve show; purple, blue, orange, and silver design by Wes Wilson with side view of a woman's face and the lettering forming the shape of her hair; small hand holding hourglass at one side. ORIGINAL plain back handbill 10 copies of variant with bluish background, all basically NM/NM-; $50 each; also 1 VG/VG+ copy with light age and small white scuff in top edge area, $30. (*)
BG #38, Grateful Dead, James Cotton Blues Band, Lothar & the Hand People, 11/18-19/66, Fillmore; beautiful Wes Wilson design in black/yellow orange; postcard back; 3 beautiful NM original plain back cards, $50 each. (*)
BG #40, Love, Moby Grape, Lee Michaels, 12/2-4/66, Fillmore; green/blue Wes Wilson image of woman; decent, typical art. This is the scarce yellow and blue version, plain back original; condition VG+/VG, small staple tear in upper margin with very small piece loose or missing. 1 unobtrusive staple hold in lower right/center area, $75.
BG #41, Grateful Dead, Big Mama Thornton, Tim Rose, 12/9-11/66, Fillmore; nice Wes Wilson image featuring central face in purple/blue and orange and yellow lettering and colors. 2 NM Creative Litho postcard backs, $17.50 each. (*)
BG #44, Young Rascals, Sopwith Camel, The Doors, 1/6-7/67, Fillmore; pink and purple Wes Wilson design; with woman's face in the center and typical Wes Wilson lettering; the Doors' first performance in San Francisco. Original plain back handbill, VG+ with one almost invisible pinhole in top center of image, $65.
BG #45, Grateful Dead, Junior Wells, The Doors, 1/13-14/67, Fillmore; blue lettering; red face on green background; Wes Wilson art. 6 NM postcards, West Coast Litho back, $20 each. (*).
BG #47, Butterfield Blues Band, Charles Lloyd, 1/27-28/67, very bright card in yellow, dark orange, and black with photo of Charles Lloyd in lower center; Wes Wilson design. VG/VG+ mailer, staple holes top and bottom, $10; one VG postcard; small white scuffs in each lower corner, $5.00. (*)
No Number, Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Service, Country Joe & the Fish, Loading Zone, 2/5/67, Fillmore; strike benefit (not a Bill Graham show); nice color handbill by Gut; approx 6.5 x 10.75 (narrow margin variety), yellow, blue, red, and pink with scroll-type lettering and "turn on" in the center; for illustration, see The Art of Rock, pl. 2.87; condition VG+/VG; corner staple holes and one minor hard to see staple hole in lower image; still a nice looking item, scarce $135.
BG #49, Blues Project, Jimmy Reed, John Lee Hooker, 2/10-12/67, Fillmore; blue & turquoise-green design by John H. Myers features image of old bluesman blowing harmonica that blends into the lettering. 2 VG cards with general wear, $7.00; 1 badly damaged card with dark tape stains on reverse, $3.00. (*)
BG #50, The Blues Project, The Mothers, Canned Heat, 2/17-19/67, Fillmore; another classic Wes Wilson image with orange border typical pink lettering, and flesh colored psychedelic figures in center. 5 NM/NM- cards, $15 each; 2 mailing list cards with name on back, VG+ minor staple holes, $15 each. (*)
BG #55, Chuck Berry, Grateful Dead, Johnny Talbot & De Thangs, 3/17-18/67, Fillmore/Winterland; light olive background with black lettering; nude woman playing with snake; good Wes Wilson image. Creative Litho postcard back, 4 cards, NM $17.50. (*)
BG #60, Howlin' Wolf, Big Brother & the Holding Co., 4/21-23/67, Fillmore; yellow top & bottom borders, color image of orange nude woman with brick red hair, high-contrast blue-red background lettering; Wes Wilson design, original mailer sent to a San Rafael address, VG+, light overall age on front but no pinholes, $22.
BG #61, Buffalo Springfield, Steve Miller Band, 4/28-30/66, black border, silver-gray and yellow lettering; yellow lettering variant; 2 copies NM/NM- $15.00; one mailer NM on front, minor tape removal marks on reverse, $22; another mailer VG+ original mailer (clean, 1 pinhole) to New York Address (!) also $22.00. (*)
BG #62, Grateful Dead, Paupers, Collage, 5/5-6/67, swirly lettering, frontal nude drawing of woman holding yin/yang ball, snake with swastika and dollar sign in mouth at bottom; Wes Wilson's swan song to Bill Graham; last of his early posters. There are 3 versions of the first printing which are easy to understand when you consider how they were printed. The first printing poster was printed with a split fountain background that ranged from pale green at the top to pale pink at the bottom (or vice versa ). The posters were printed on a sheet with one or more rows of cards to the right, arranged in three columns top to bottom. Thus, the topmost row of cards came out in pale green, like the top of the poster. The middle row came out with some green at the top and some pink at the bottom, like the middle third of the poster. The bottom row came out all pink like the bottom of the poster. I have 1 rose-pink copy left, $35.00.
BG #63, Jefferson Airplane, The Paupers, 5/12-14/67, Fillmore; medieval looking design by Bonnie Maclean with center photo of Jorma Kaukonen wearing a cross. 1 VG+ mailer with name on back, $20.
BG #64, Martha & the Vandellas, The Paupers, 5/19-20/67, Fillmore; light olive background; blue filigree and central imago of the group (I think), red-orange lettering. I have always thought this was a tougher card to find; 6 copies NM/NM- $17.50 each. Also have a VG+ mailer, minor staple holes, otherwise clean $12.00, plus 1 VG/VG+ copy with pinhole at top center and a bit of paper age, $5.00. (*)
BG #66, Jim Kweskin Jug Band, Peanut Butter Conspiracy, The Sparrow (early Steppenwolf), 6/2-3/67, Fillmore; interesting turquoise, yellow, and green card by Bonnie Maclean; postcard back NM $15.00.
BG #67, The Doors, Jim Kweskin Jug Band, 6/6-10/67, Fillmore; olive-brown background; pink dragon figure with black faces, lettering; Bonnie MacLean card; generally regarded to be a scarce card. 2 copies, #1 is a mailer with name on back, 2 almost invisible sets of staple holes in center, hard to find as mailer, $75.00; copy #2 is also a mailer, with a clean NM-/VG+ front, but has some minor tape pulls on back, also $75. (*)
BG #68, The Who, Loading Zone, 6/16-17/67, Fillmore; great orange & purple Bonnie Maclean design with swirling faces; very nice art. 6 NM cards $25 each (*).
BG #69, Jefferson Airplane, Gabor Szabo, Jimi Hendrix Experience, 6/20-25/68, Fillmore; classic orange and blue image; very popular early Hendri 2 copies NM $30 each. (*)
BG #72, Butterfield Blues Band, Roland Kirk Quartet, 7/11-16/67, Fillmore; odd design with blue central face; comets and other space bodies; pale yellow accent color; not especially attractive. 9 copies NM $12.00. (*)
BG #73, Sam & Dave, James Cotton, Country Joe & the Fish, Loading Zone, 7/18-21/67, Fillmore; Bonnie Maclean design with pink and blue background, tiki or totem pole type central art. 7 NM/NM- cards, $15 each. (*)
BG #76, Muddy Waters, Buffalo Springfield, Richie Havens, 8/1-6/67, Fillmore, Bonnie Maclean, central image of sun with human face, lime green and blue; nice design. 3 NM copies, $20 each. (*).
BG #77, Electric Flag, Moby Grape, Steve Miller, 8/8-13/67, Fillmore; nice red, brown, and black design by Bonnie Maclean with photo of the Electric Flag (Mike Bloomfield et al) in the center; 3 NM copies, $15 each. (*)
BG #78, Count Basie, Chuck Berry, Charles Lloyd, Young Rascals, others 8/15-21/67, bright red background, brown & bright green art by Jim Blashfield; 5 copies NM/NM- $17.50 each; 1 NM- with slight stains on reverse, $10. (*)
BG #79, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Cream, South Side Sound System, 8/22-27/67, Fillmore; historic first Cream concerts at the Fillmore; purple, brown and orange Bonnie MacLean design with hooded seer waving hands over crystal ball. 2 NM copies; $27.50 each. (*)
BG ##79-80, uncut double vertical mailer with both cards; #79 is Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Cream, South Side Sound System, 8/22-27/67, BG #80 is Cream, Electric Flag, Gary Burton, 8/29-9/3/67, Fillmore; mailer for the first two historic Cream runs at the Fillmore, together on one vertical card as mailed to the Fillmore mailing list. I have 5 original NM cards, unmailed, $75 each. (*)
BG #81, Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, Big Brother & the Holding Co, 9/15/67, Hollywood Bowl; nice Jim Blashfield card; green background with orange/yellow outline of Victorian house and photo of the Airplane in the center; 8 copies, NM $30 each. (*)
BG #83, Electric Flag, Mother Earth, LDM Spiritual Band, 9/14-16/67, Fillmore; orange, black with green lettering and design of two odd stylized peacocks or something of that sort; 3 copies, NM $15 each; 1 copy NM- on front, minor water stain on reverse lower margin that doesn't show through, $7.50 (*)
BG #88, Jefferson Airplane, Charlatans, Blue Cheer, 10/11-14/67, Fillmore/Winterland; brown background; yellow/purple portraits of the bands; Bonnie Maclean art. NM $15.00.
BG #93, The Doors, Procol Harum, Mt. Rushmore, 11/16-18/67. Fillmore; Jim Blashfield design with orange border, orange/pink stooping figure, yellowish lettering. 2 postcard backs, $25 each. (*)
BG #94, Donovan, H.P. Lovecraft, Mother Earth, 11/23-25/66, Fillmore/Winterland; "queen of clubs" design like a playing card with a purple background; NM card $12.50.
BG #95, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Clear Light, Blue Cheer, 11/30-12/2/67, Fillmore; colorful drawing of guy who looks like one of the 3 Musketeers. 6 copies NM $15.00. (*)
BG #96, The Byrds, Electric Flag, B.B. King, 12/7-9/67, Fillmore/Winterland; beautiful odd watercolor image by Bonnie Maclean with swirling faces, American flag, guitar, a rooster; a personal favorite. 2 NM cards, $20.00 each. (*)
BG #101, Vanilla Fudge, Steve Miller Band, Sunny Terry & Brownie McGhee, 1/4-6/68, Fillmore/Winterland; Lee Conklin's first poster; "clasped hands" design in B & W; fantastic image and a little tougher card to find; 4 NM cards $25.00 each (*)
BG #106, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Arlo Guthrie, Loading Zone, 2/8-20/68, Fillmore; Stanley Mouse's "tavern sign" poster; multiple copies available, 3 NM copies, $12.50 each. (*)
BG #107, Butterfield Blues Band, James Cotton, Albert King; purple & blue Lee Conklin card featuring central image of figure made up of human hands; 5 copies, NM $15.00 each; 1 NM- $13.00. (*)
BG #112, Moby Grape, Traffic, Lemon Pipers, Spirit, 3/21-23/69, Fillmore/Winterland; orange background with background line drawings of hundreds of faces by Lee Conklin; white lettering. NM postcard 6 copies, $15.00 each. (*)
BG #116, Love, Staple Singers, Roland Kirk, 4/18-20/68, Fillmore/Winterland, white background with large blue center silhouette of psychedelic butterfly; olive lettering. 9 copies, 12.50 each. (*)
BG #117, Albert King, Electric Flag, The Collectors, 4/25-27, Fillmore & Winterland, purple and blue design by Mari Tepper with typical childlike male and female figures. 4 copies, NM $15 each. (*)
BG #121, Yardbirds, Cecil Taylor, It's a Beautiful Day, 5/23-25/68, Fillmore; very nice Lee Conklin design with large feet, writhing human figures; dark blue and black background with yellow and white lettering and image; 2 NM show backs $25.00 each (*)
BG #122, Buffalo Springfield, Chambers Brothers, Richie Havens, 5/29-6/1/68, Fillmore/Winterland, purple and black Lee Conklin image with reclining view of nude woman whose toes all have their own faces, etc. 2 NM show backs $ 22.00; 1 NM-/VG+ show back (spot on reverse) $15.00; 3 postcard backs, $20 each. (*).
BG #126, Albert King, Ten Years After, Canned Heat, Loading Zone, Dan Hicks, 6/27-30/68, Fillmore; another Lee Conklin design with red background and blue/black hills that are also faces and other anatomical parts; half-man, half-motorcycle figures lurk in the hills; another neat and imaginative Conklin design. 2 NM/NM- show backs, $22.00 each. (*)
BG #128, Electric Flag, Blue Cheer, Ike & Tina Turner, Buddy Guy, Freddy King, 7/9-13/68, Fillmore; "Blues Bash" flesh and pink background with two blue animals butting heads; their antlers intertwining to form part of the show; other Conklin images. 6 show backs, $18 each. (*)
BG #129, Big Brother & the Holding Co., Richie Havens, Illinois Speed Press, Sly & the Family Stone, Jeff Beck Group, 7/16-21/68, Fillmore West, another Conklin design, harvest brown colors, 2 large pink globes with tiny eyes, lots of small figures in the background. 3 NM postcard back $17.00. (*)
BG #131, Butterfield Blues Band, Santana, Iron Butterfly, Canned Heat, Initial Shock, 7/30- 8/4/68, Fillmore West; neat, harder to find Conklin card with two hands pointing at each other and optical illusion fingers in center (point your fingers and cross your eyes and you'll understand where the image came from...); NM card $20.
BG #133, The Who, James Cotton, Magic Sam, Creedence Clearwater, others, 8/13-18/68; Grateful Dead, Kaleidoscope, Quicksilver, others, 8/23-25/68, Fillmore West; classic Griffin/Kelley collaboration; Bloom" poster with evil insect at top and nuclear explosion, evil red & black psychedelic borders and lettering; double-size card. Everything you could want in a '60s rock poster...not rare as a card, but an absolutely wonderful image; 2 cards, NM $45.00 each; 1 VG + (light crease) mailer with name on back, $35.00; 1 VG copy with pinholes top and bottom and light paper age, $15. (*)
BG #135, Chuck Berry, Steve Miller, 9/5-7/68, Fillmore West; great B & W Lee Conklin design with moose and skull. 5 NM cards;"place stamp here" backs with show info on RH side, $ 17.50 each.(*)
BG #138, Super Session (Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper & Friends), It's a Beautiful Day, Loading Zone, 9/26-28/68, Fillmore West; another Lee Conklin image with writhing images all over the place; pink border, cream/blue/black art. 8 NM show backs, $17.50 each. (*)
BG #141, Iron Butterfly, Sir Douglas Quintet, Seatrain, 10/17-19/68, Fillmore West; the other "dancing bugs" card; not as popular as the Hendrix one, but the artwork is just as good; VG+ showback card; minor tape stains on reverse that don't show through, $20.00.
BG #143, Procol Harum, Santana, Salloom, Sinclair, and Mother Bear, Fillmore West; very psychedelic Lee Conklin design in red and black with swirling lettering, unusual faces popping up in unusual places, all the usual one would expect... 2 NM card backs, $20. (*)
BG #144, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Grateful Dead, Linn County, 11/7-10/68, Fillmore West; classic blue/silver-gray/red Lee Conklin design with melting face and snakes wrapped around skull with bat wings (like a staff of Hermes). Very cool card; I have 8 show backs, NM $36 each; also 3 card backs, NM $25 each. (*)
BG #145, Ten Years After, Country Weather, Sun Ra, 11/14-17/68, red, blue, and silver-gray poster by Lee Conklin with tree-shaped figure and the entwined branches of the tree forming the lettering; well executed but very hard to read; nice NM card $17.00.
BG #146, Moody Blues, Chicago Transit Authority, Frumious Bandersnatch, 11/21-24/68, Fillmore West; Kelley/Griffin design with silly comic-strip type character waving a board with a nail in it. 2 NM show backs, $25 each; 2 card backs, NM/NM-, $20 each. (*)
BG #147, It's A Beautiful Day, Deep Purple, Cold Blood, 11/28-12/1/68, Fillmore West; black & yellow card by Kelley designed to look like Abba-Zaba candy bar wrapper with some kind of a gorilla-like thing in the center. 3 NM show backs, $20.00 each; 1 VG show back $10. 1 NM postcard back $15.00; significantly off center and odd looking. 1 filler copy with minor scuff on front, $6.00 (*).
BG #148, Jeff Beck Group, Spirit, Sweetwater, 12/5-8/68, Fillmore West; purple and black checkerboard border; red background; lettering formed from Lee Conklin figures, 2 show backs, NM $20.00 each; 1 card back NM $15; 1 card back with teeny weeny staple holes at bottom, otherwise very clean, $10. (*)
BG ##152-153, uncut double cards for the 1968-69 New Years' Eve show; BG #152 is Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, 12/31/68, Winterland; classic full color Lee Conklin image with baby emerging from hole in top of skull; BG #153 is Vanilla Fudge, Richie Havens, Youngbloods, Cold Blood, 12/31/68, Fillmore West; green background with Lee Conklin image of bodies falling through hourglass like grains of sand; I have 8 copies of this very pooular double card with the "Peace on Earth" show back; these copies are basically clean but were stored in damp conditions and therefore have light rippling and some varying degrees of storage age and discoloration on the reverse. They grade from VG+ down to about VG- or so, with the majority in the lower end of VG+/upper end of VG range. Decent overall, offering them at a very good price of $20. They look better than I'm making them sound. (*)
BG ##160-161, uncut double mailer; BG #160 is Santana, Collectors, Melanie, 2/13-16/69, Fillmore West; nice card by Greg Irons with yellow background, black/orange urban drawing in center with photo of original Santana band at top; BG #161 isThe Move, Cold Blood, Albert King, 2/20-2/23/69, Fillmore West, odd Greg Irons design with pink-red background and sort of a mandala shape with four faces, one on each side, sharing a common circular mouth in the center, with black lettering top and bottom against a yellow background. Original mailing list double card addressed to San Rafael record store on reverse; creased horizontally as is common for double sized mailer cards, some wear and paper thinness in the L corner; looks like maybe a liquid stain in the distant past, filler copy $9.00.
BG #160, Santana, Collectors, Melanie, 2/13-16/69, Fillmore West; nice card by Greg Irons with yellow background, black/orange urban drawing in center with photo of original Santana band at top. Damaged card, staple tear at bottom right, $7.00.
BG #161, The Move, Cold Blood, Albert King, 2/20-2/23/69, Fillmore West, odd Greg Irons design with pink-red background and sort of a mandala shape with four faces, one on each side, sharing a common circular mouth in the center, with black lettering top and bottom against a yellow background. Attractive, typically quirky Greg Irons design. Nice NM- copy $20.00.
BG #164, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jethro Tull, 3/13-16/69, Fillmore West; odd Randy Tuten design with sort of a monument pointing into a psychedelic sky; red background and white lettering; 1 NM postcard $22.50.
BG #165, Janis Joplin, Savoy Brown, Aum, 3/30-23/69, Fillmore West/Winterland; Randy Tuten's class Janis poster with color photo of smiling Janis at a microphone surrounded by circle of color like an old-time jukebox; green lettering; black background. VG card, damaged showback $15.00.
BG #166, Butterfield Blues Band, Mike Bloomfield & Friends, 3/27-4/3, Fillmore West; nicely colored Greg Irons design with vague guitar shape and mirror-image lettering; 3 NM postcard back cards, $ 17.50 each (*)
BG #167, Procol Harum, Buddy Miles Express, Blues Image, 4/3-6/69, another nice color Greg Irons design with huge pink mountain monster devouring a train. 2 NM postcard backs, $17.50 each.
BG #171, Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead Mongo Santamaria, Cold Blood, Elvin Bishop Group, 5/1-4/69, Fillmore/Winterland; slate blue background with central image of man reaching his hands up to the sky; old time airplane flying over; very nice lettering; one of the better Randy Tuten designs; 1 VG/VG+ showback with pinhole at top center and light paper age, $20.
No. #, Aum, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bangor Flying Circus, Elvin Bishop Broup, Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Santana, 5/28/1968, People's Park Bail Ball benefit; what an incredible lineup. This rare horizontal card is black on textured white thick card stock (comes on other stock too) and has the band listing in old English script on the left hand side and the right had side looks like a road sign with the words "Park here any time" and the image of a tree, and the dove & peace logo from the BG#100 card in B & W in the upper corner of the sign image. This is a hard to find card; one copy with significant staple damage with missing paper in 3 corners and a hole in the 4th corner, a touch of rust around the damaged areas, looks somewhat better than it sounds, price $30. Second copy on pale blue-gray card stock, intact but has a «" dark blue ink squiggle (non-removable) in center, $40. (*)
BG #188, John Mayall, Mother Earth, NY Rock and Roll Ensemble, 8/19-21/69, Fillmore West; The Wild West Show in Golden Gate Park, 8/22-24/69; David Singer image with pink background and collage of stairs and the moon in the background. VG/VG- showback copy; tack holes top and bottom; irregular horizontal crease across upper portion of image, decent filler copy $17.
BG #195, Country Joe & the Fish, Blodwyn Pig, 10/9-12/69, Fillmore West; green & red Randy Tuten design with statue of man on horse; show back. 5 copies, show backs NM $17.50 each. (*)
BG #201, Rolling Stones, 11/9/69, Oakland Coliseum, silver & black image by Randy Tuten with classic vintage photo of the Stones looking like bad boys; NM $27.50.
BG #206, Chambers Brothers, The Nice, King Crimson, 12/11-14/69, Fillmore West; David Singer collage with nude woman walking in sand dunes with trees coming out of her head like antlers; damaged card with corner damage, tape at bottom, $4.00 (*).
BG #208, Sly & the Family Stone, Spirit, Southwind, Ball 'n Jack, 12/26-28/69, Winterland, David Singer image with center collage of moon, a 5 copies, NM $20.00 each. VG+/VG card with minor staple holes and light paper age, $10; damaged copy, general wear $4.00(*).
BG #209, Santana, It's a Beautiful Day, Elvin Bishop, Joy of Cooking, 12/31/60, Fillmore West; Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Sons (of Champlin), Hot Tuna, 12/31/60; Winterland; double sized New Year' Eve card by Bonnie Maclean with watercolor image of two men, flowers, and the earth with a peace sign and triangle superimposed on it; attractive hippie-ish design; mailer with tape pulls in margins, couple of pieces ot tape along right edge; name on back, doesn't look too bad $12.
BG #215, Laura Nyro, 1/24/70; The Band, 1/31/70, Berkeley Community Theatre, B & W horizontal card by Bonnie MacLean with ornate reversed white-on-black block lettering and two center photos of the artists listed. Semi-scarce card, nowhere near as rare as #215A, but still a relatively difficult card to find since it is not part of the regular run of shows. Very nice NM copy, $125.
BG ##217 (Country Joe & the Fish), 218 (Delaney & Bonnie with Eric Clapton), uncut double card; blue/gray, cream and brown cards by Singer; #217 has a photo of a soldier with a dove over his gun; #218 shows a graveyard. Filler copy, tape on edges and small diagonal piece appears to be cut out, $8.00.
BG #221, Butterfield Blues Band, Savoy Brown, Keith Relf's Renaissance, 3/5-8/70, Fillmore West; striking David Singer card with background photo of sea and clouds in orange and yellow; purple photo of huge statue of Jesus like it is rising from the sea. VG+; vertical crease in RH of image, card # written on back in ink, $15. (*)
BG #238, John Sebastian, Buddy Miles, Rig, 6/11-14/70, Fillmore West; khaki green background with David Singer collage of the Statue of Liberty under a bridge; VG+/VG card; minor overall wear, $12.
BG #247, Iron Butterfly, Aum, Black Oak Arkansas 8/24-26/70; John Mayall, Elvin Bishop, Herbie Hancock, 8/27-29/70; Savoy Brown, Fairport Convention, Chicken Shack, 8/30-9/1/70; Johnny Winter, Boz Scaggs, Freddy King, 9/3-6/70, Fillmore West; double-sized card by Kelley with black background and odd lizard-like animals, center image of woman's face in pink and orange, unreadable nonsense lettering at the top in yellow; bands in typeset lettering. 1 VG+ addressed mailer, $35.
BG 247A, Jefferson Airplane, 9/14-15/70, Fillmore West, midweek show, somewhat crudely drawn card with photo of the Airplane in the center and ornate medieval style lettering with crude floral border, fairly scarce card; this exists only as a card, no corresponding poster exists, NM- /VG+, very light corner wear, minor tape removal stain on back that doesn't show through, $85.
No #, Grateful Dead, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 8/17-19/70, Fillmore West; midweek card (no poster made) featuring a crude drawing of a skull with photos of the band members pasted in; crude brown lettering on lighter yellow brown background. NM card $40.
BG #250, Chuck Berry, Buddy Miles, Loading Zone, 9/24-27; Eric Burdon & War, Seals & Crofts, Clover, 10/1-4/70, Fillmore West; nice David singer double-size card with powerful collage of Greek statue, birds, and skeleton in road. 1 VG+/VG copy fairly clean, no pinholes but with a couple storage wrinkles & light age, $10; slightly better copy $15. (*)
BG ##251-252, uncut double card with mailing list name on back; BG #251 is Van Morrison, Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, Jerry Hahn Brotherhood, 10/8-11/70, yellow background; image of old black minstrel troupe; top lettering virtually illegible; #252 is Leon Russell, Miles Davis, Seatrain, 10/15-18/70, Fillmore West; color design by Norman Orr with image of baby dressed as Uncle Sam in the classic "wants you" pose, odd images abound as is typical for this artist's work; NM-/VG+ card in good condition, $25.
BG #252, Leon Russell, Miles Davis, Seatrain, 10/15-18/70, Fillmore West; color design by Norman Orr with image of baby dressed as Uncle Sam in the classic "wants you" pose, odd images abound as is typical for this artist's work; VG+ copy $16.
BG #263, Grateful Dead, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Cold Blood, Elvin Bishop, Stoneground, Boz Scaggs, 12/31/70, Fillmore/Winterland; last Fillmore New Years' Eve show; collage by David Singer. Double-size image with photo of San Francisco Ferry Building. Last New Years Eve show at the Fillmore. 7 copies, NM $25 each. (*)
BG #265, Spirit, Elvin Bishop Group, Kwane & the Kwanditos, 1/7-10/71, Fillmore West; Norman Orr design with pyramids and cartoon character. NM $15.00.
BG #275, Eric Burdon & War, Santana, Buddy Miles, Wayne Cochran, others, 3/25-4/4/71, Winterland/Fillmore West; double size card with collage of cat dressed up like one of the 3 musketeers and some kind of winged figure riding a hawk; pale blue and brick red with black lettering; VG+ addressed mailer, $20.
BG ##281-282, uncut double card. BG #281 is The Rascals, Grootna, Grin, 5/20-23/71, Fillmore West; B & W Randy Tuten design with nice lettering; picture of tomatoes in background, BG #282 is Cold Blood, Joy of Cooking, Sweathog, 5/27-30/71, Fillmore West; Grateful Dead, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 5/28-29/71, addressed but with some significant paper age/discoloration in the 282 card, $10. (*)
BG #285, Boz Scaggs, Tower of Power, Mason Proffit, 6/17-20/71, Fillmore West, silver, orange & blue David Singer design with central photo of dancing nymphs, nice. 3 nice NM/NM- cards, $17.00 each. (*)
No number, BB King, Freddie King, Copperhead, Malo, 2/4-5/1972, Winterland; Quicksilver, Taj Mahal, Commander Cody, 2/11-12/72, Winterland; Laura Nyro, 2/26/72, Berkeley Community Theatre, Allman Brothers, 3/3-4, Winterland; Black Sabbath, Yes, Wild Turkey, 3/10-11/72, Winterland; Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, 3/11/72, Berkeley Community Theatre; Emerson, Lake & Palmer, 3/24-25/72, Winterland; Sha Na Na, 4/7-8/72, Winterland; Humble Pie, 4/21-22/72, Winterland; this is a 5.5 x 8.5" flyer of the type commonly produced by Bill Graham Presents after the Fillmore closed and they stopped issuing the poster series. White lettering on black background; lettering by Randy Tuten, NM $17.
King Crimson, Malo, Fairport Convention, 3/17-18/1972, Winterland; Don McLean, 3/19/1972 Berkeley Community Theatre; Emereson, Lake and Palmer, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Blues Project, 3/24-25/72, Winterland; Lee Michaels, Mark-Amond, Jo Jo Gunne, 3/31-4/1/72, Winterland; West, Bruce & Laing, Cold Blood, 4/2/1972, Winterland; Sha Na Na, Malo, Sweathog, 4/7-8/1972, Winterland; Deep Purple, Buddy Miles, Atlanta Rhythm Section, 4/14/72, Berkeley Community Theatre; J Geils Band, Elvin Bishop, 4/14-15/1972, Winterland; Joe Cocker, 4/16/1972, Oakland Stadium; Humble Pie, Edgar Winter, Osibisa, 4/21-22/1972, Winterland; Richie Havens, Jimmie Spheeris, 4/22 1972, Berkeley Community Theatre; Dave Mason, Kenny Loggins, 4/28-29/1972, Winterland; It's A Beautiful Day, Cold Blood, 5/5-6/1972, Winterland (whew!). This is another of the generic mailers that were mailed or handed out to Bill Graham's patrons after the closing of the Fillmore; they have generic lettering by Randy Tuten with the "Bill Graham presents" logo at the top. This particular one is kinda cool because it was actually mailed and postmarked to someone here in San Rafael back in the day. Nice VG+ $20.
Note that I have quite a few of these Bill Graham post-Fillmore flyers from 1972-1975 or so that I have never gotten around to listing because there are so many groups and individual shows to type out. If you are interested, drop me an email and I can send you an image or otherwise discuss them.'
Original Artwork by famous rock and roll/psychedelic artists
Posters--Bill Graham and Miscellaneous Fillmore Auditorium
Posters--Family Dog and Related
Posters--Miscellaneous California (1960's and early '70's)
Posters--Miscellaneous Non-California (1960's and early '70's)
Posters --More Recent Stuff (late 1970's to the present)
Handbills--Family Dog and Related
Handbills--Miscellaneous California (1960's and early '70's)
Handbills--Miscellaneous Non-California (1960's and early '70's)