it is impossible to over state the historical importance and rarity of this handbill!
This handbill, measuring 7" x 9 1/2" inches was the second of three benefit concerts organized by Bill Graham in late 1965 for the San Francisco Mime Troupe and it's founder, Ronnie Davis, who was arrested for an avant garde performance in a San Francisco Park without a permit.
The concert was held December 10th, 1965 at the Fillmore Auditorium, and featured performances by Jefferson Airplane (THE quintessential San Francsco band at the time) , The Great Society (Grace Slick's band before she joined the Airplane) , and Mystery Trend.
These 3 benefit concerts were the very FIRST put on by a very young Bill Graham - way before he became THE BILL GRAHAM, the most famous concert promoter of all time- and were instrumental in starting Graham's long, storied career.
You can learn more about the S.F. Mime Troupe and Davis' arrest here.
In collecting there are three categories of items:
1) Conditional Rarities that are rare in the condition offered.
2) Absolute Rarities that are rare in ANY condition.
3) Lastly, the rarest of unicorns, items that are exceedingly rare AND in top conditon!
This incredibly important handbill lands squarely in the third category.
What makes concert poster collecting so compelling is that these are not commercially made collectibles that are manufactured with the intent of making a buck.
They are genuine historical artifacts that provide a tangible link to the birth of the counter-culture movement and the rise of issues and values that are are still being fiercely fought over today.
This handbill is a total freak, somehow having been preserved in the exact same condition as the day it was created in 1965, when ZERO people were thinking of saving or collecting items such as this!
A remarkable collectible in every respect!
Estimate: $3,000-$6,000
**A 20% Buyers Premiuum will be added to the winning bid of this lot.