Frank Zappa/Mothers, Charlatans 1965 Very Rare, Early Family Dog Glittering Concert Poster (AOR-2.10)....

Description

FROM THE STRATOSPHERE OF THE CONCERT-POSTER HOBBY

Frank Zappa/Mothers, Charlatans 1965 Very Rare, Early Family Dog Glittering Concert Poster (AOR-2.10). You know it's a highly special occasion when we can reveal a Family Dog concert poster so rare that 99% of you have never seen it before. Such is the case with this breathtakingly early November 6, 1965 San Francisco concert poster from Longshoremen's Hall presented by the Family Dog. "A Tribute to Ming the Merciless" pre-dates any Bill Graham concert, any Fillmore Auditorium or Avalon Ballroom rock concert, any Acid Test, any Mime Troupe benefit and any Grateful Dead-anything.

Heritage could probably charge people $5.00 each just to look at this poster, it's so rare and charismatic. The gravitas of this piece is just off the charts. The Art of Rock book tried to secure and run an image of a Ming the Merciless poster but could only come up with a ridiculously dark image (page 94). Just a tiny amount of these posters were hand-curated in different colors, and we can't imagine one looking better than this: sublime dark-grey glittering letters on powerful dark red paper. Yes, real glitter on the lettering, which has held fast for 60 years... although organic enough that a tiny bit is dislodged every time the poster is moved out of its protective sleeve.

You may have heard of the poster's designer, too... Alton Kelley. Yes, the Alton Kelley, who later teamed up with Mouse. Kelley was one of the four people who co-founded the first incarnation of the Family Dog, long before Chet Helms got involved. Kelley's girlfriend Ellen Harmon, plus Jack Towle and group leader Luria Castell, rounded out the foursome who decided to call themselves the "Family Dog."

Much of this early Family Dog history can be gleaned from our Tribute to Dr. Strange concert poster also in this weekend's sale. The new, loose, four-hippie Family Dog collective threw three dance-concerts over the span of four weeks before yielding to Bill Graham and other forces like the slowly emerging Fillmore Auditorium. And since they were all avid readers of comic books, to give their dances cache they named them after comic-book characters: First Dr. Strange, then Sparkle Plenty (starring the Lovin' Spoonful), and then this final one, "A Tribute to Ming the Merciless," starring the Mothers and Charlatans. This event didn't go as smoothly as the first two, so it's said that Ellen Harmon bailed shortly thereafter and the early 'Dog just went to sleep.

They may have also seen the writing on the wall... across town, on this very same evening, Bill Graham's career as a concert promoter was literally born, as he hosted the first San Francisco Mime Troupe Appeals benefit in what's referred to as the Howard Street loft (or Calliope warehouse) in San Francisco. No posters were made, only small handbills, as the Jefferson Airplane and a few others entertained. What's a hilarious connection between these two events on the same night is that Graham's flyer for the Mime Troupe event lists about a dozen performers, including the Airplane, the Fugs, Sandy Bull and so forth, and right there with them is "The Family Dog" as part of the talent... Graham thought they were a musical group!

Allow us to read off the words on this beast of a rare poster, using their punctuation:

"an unquestioned power, the
FAMILY DOG
presents a tribute to
Ming-The-Merciless! in the
form of a wham-bang
wide open stoned
DANCE
flicking on a dusk (8 to 2)
the MOTHERS NOV. 6
Charlatans
Don Sturdy-M.C.
tickets, Music 5. MATRIX
A.S.U.C. box off. Berk- Hut-T.I. S.F.S.
blow tha head this Saterday [sic] night
Longshoremans' [sic] Hall

It's actually kind of remarkable that the posters said "stoned" on them, because drug busts, even for one joint, were serious business back then. And the last thing the Family Dog wanted was cops tearing down their carefully-crafted posters. But they surely were all posted indoors or inside windows, because November weather in San Francisco would have washed away the glitter, and everything else, on these relatively delicate posters.

Musically, it should be noted that this was so early for L.A.'s Zappa and the Mothers that it would be four months before they even recorded their debut album for Verve, Freak Out! As such, Verve had not ordered them to lengthen their name yet, so "Mothers" was their entire group name right now.

As for the Charlatans, they were pretty much fresh off their stint in Virginia City, Nevada at the Red Dog Saloon that summer. And then there's the night's Master of Ceremonies, Don Sturdy. Did you know that was just a pseudonym for actor Howard Hesseman? He later went on to fame as burned-out disc jockey Dr. Johnny Fever on the WKRP in Cincinnati hit television show in the 70's. Yep, same guy!

One term in collecting that's tossed around a bit too freely is "you may never get another shot at this one." Well, believe me, that phrase was invented for a poster like this. The only still-existing copies, which you can count on one hand, are buried in the most elite of collections. Of which, of course, David Swartz is one. The fact that he chose to make this poster available in his Heritage catalog this summer is a mind-blower, and such a rare opportunity if you're an elite collector of early San Francisco psychedelic concert posters. A once-a-decade opportunity, at best... so if you're on this, you best be merciless in your bidding.

This first-ever Heritage offering measures slightly under 13 1/4" x 20" and grades to unrestored Very Good 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.94 (illus.).

More Information: Most notably, there are two staple tear-aways at the top. The consignor has decided to not repair these spots in the interesting of presenting an all-original poster; the new owner could easily find a paper conservator to fill those in if desired. There's a surface blemish about the "G" in "Dog." In the lower left corner, there's a 2" diagonal crease that doesn't threaten the lettering. On the poster's left edge, the bottom 20% or so, there appears to be a slightly ragged cut. We're sure this is from the original creators and not something that's been trimmed, it's way too slight for anything to have been trimmed.

Printer's anomalies, and not damage, are found in the form of blue-ink blemishes in the upper left corner by the "A" in "An," and in the top center area above the "WE" in "Power." Another slight printer's flaw in found on the verso in the upper right corner area, a 1 ¼" long blemish containing glitter.


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.