FD-1 Jefferson Airplane "A Tribal Stomp" 1966 Family Dog Fillmore Concert Poster Signed by Wes Wilson, Graded 8.0. ...

Description

THE HIGHEST GRADE EVER AUCTIONED ON THIS ELUSIVE GEM

FD-1 Jefferson Airplane "A Tribal Stomp" 1966 Family Dog Fillmore Concert Poster Signed by Wes Wilson, Graded 8.0. One of the true Holy Grails of the psychedelic concert poster hobby... a very rare original, pre-show first printing of the first Family Dog concert poster advertising just one show from the Jefferson Airplane and Big Brother & The Holding Company on Saturday night, February 19, 1966 at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium. This amazing specimen has been signed by its creator, the dean of San Francisco poster artists Wes Wilson, and graded 8.0 Very Fine by CGC (the Certified Guaranty Company).

If that doesn't wow you, do know that no graded copies anywhere in the 9's even exist on this poster, at least not yet. We'll say it again: Thus far it's proved impossible to locate any copy of this poster with the word "Mint" somewhere in its grade, even Very Fine/Near Mint (9.0)... there's simply never been one to turn up.

This exact specimen was once the property of Ray Andersen of the Holy See Light Show, a historic S.F.-rock brand name in its own right. This was the first concert produced by Family Dog promoter Chet Helms, who suggested the image used from a photo by Edward Curtis from the book The American Heritage Book of Indians, and Wes Wilson designed his poster around it. Its name, the "Tribal Stomp," represented the people of the Family Dog collective (tribe) and "stomp" was an old-timey word for a dance.

FD-1 is one of those key psychedelic concert posters that everyone wants and needs, but only the privileged few have. The print run has been scholastically estimated at 250 copies, and most of those were discarded after the show. People didn't save this one because it wasn't a visual beauty with catchy colors, and nobody knew this would turn into a hobby a few months later. Any that were saved were likely done so accidentally, and by the quirky few Bay Area denizens who felt it might be a cute memento.

"We were really winging it in those early days," says Family Dog co-owner Bob Cohen, who sold his personal FD-1 through Heritage a few years ago. "We had no idea what was happening. We're all looking at this in retrospect now, knowing how important all this was. But when it first started, the first 6-8 weeks of shows, we had no idea."

"A Tribal Stomp" was designed by the legendary and late Wes Wilson. Mr. Wilson designed the first 10 Family Dog posters and 45 of the first 50 Bill Grahams. And FD-1 was the first poster Wes drew for either promoter; his first BG poster would come a month later ("Batman"). Wes also personally printed this poster at his small San Francisco print shop, Contact Printing, in either January or early February 1966, when the psychedelic concert-poster movement was still at ground zero.

FD-1 is a perfect representation of the earliest psychedelic poster art, with its low-budget lack of colors (which allowed some people to color it themselves - see page 104 in The Art of Rock), its rolling, psychedelic yet easy-to-read lettering, the quaint simplicity of just one show on a Saturday night, its simple $2.00 admission price, and two of San Francisco's most famous bands ever. (Janis Joplin was not in BBHC yet; she would join them about five months later. And don't forget, Grace Slick wasn't in the Airplane yet, either.)

With all the hoopla about the Avalon Ballroom, a lot of people lose sight of the fact that the first four Family Dog dance-concerts were held at the beloved Fillmore. And there it is, right above the show's date, in black & white.

The lack of information surrounding this primitive piece is also a huge part of its mystery and charm. The way Mr. Cohen describes it to us, "We were just doing... environmental theater. For our friends. A mixture of light, sound, music... it wasn't really a concert, it was an environment.

"Remember, before this started, there was nothing like it. This was like walking into a freak show, or Circus Circus or something. People would walk in for the first time, and they saw the music, the people dancing, the light show... the drugs... and had their mind blown. It was such a big experience, with nothing like it for reference."

This poster is referred to as "Tribal Stomp" because of the wording found on the American Indian artwork in the center. Wes Wilson did all the drawing and designing, and Chet Helms picked out the photo and theme, his MO in the Family Dog's early days. This was also the debut of the Dog's Indian-smoking-a-joint logo appearing in the upper left corner. This was only half of it, however; Wilson would flush out the logo to completeness on the very next poster.

Some lucky bidder is going to walk away with one heck of a rare psychedelic concert poster, a crazy-cool conversation piece and very special bragging rights for life. Measures 13 ¾" x 19 ¾" and grades to 8.0 condition. From the David Swartz Concert Poster Collection. COA from Heritage Auctions.

Literature: See Grushkin, Paul, The Art of Rock: Posters from Presley to Punk, Abbeville Press, New York, 1987, p.70-71 (background), p.95 (illustrated).

Heritage Auctions provides as much information as possible but strongly encourages in-person inspection. Condition statements are offered as general guidance only, not as complete representations of fact, and do not constitute a warranty or assumption of liability by Heritage. Some condition issues may not be noted but may be visible in the photos, which are considered part of the condition report. Lots estimated at $1,000 or less are not de-framed for inspection, and we may be unable to provide additional details for lots valued under $500. Heritage does not guarantee the condition of frames and is not liable for damage to frames, glass/acrylic coverings, original boxes, display accessories, or artwork that has shifted in the frame. All lots are sold "AS IS" under our Terms & Conditions of Auction.