FD-22 Grateful Dead "Frankenstein" 1966 Concert Poster Signed by Stanley Mouse, Graded 9.6. ...

Description

FD-22 Grateful Dead "Frankenstein" 1966 Concert Poster Signed by Stanley Mouse, Graded 9.6. First-printing San Francisco concert poster for the Grateful Dead and Sopwith Camel playing at the Avalon Ballroom on Friday and Saturday nights, August 19 & 20, 1966. Known as FD-22 in the Family Dog numbered series, this poster was designed by Stanley Mouse and Alton Kelley and is nicknamed "Frankenstein." Mouse has signed the poster in pencil at the bottom, complete with his trademark running mouse. It's been graded a very strong 9.6 Near Mint Plus by CGC (the Certified Guaranty Company).

Normally it's a horrible mistake to misspell a musician's name on a concert poster, especially the headliner, but in this case not a lot of people may have noticed (or cared) due to the ghoulish design, the scrunched "Greatful" lettering, and the presence of a much bigger star on the poster - Frankenstein. There can be little doubt that Frankie had been hitting the ganja - just look at his eyes. He's not scary, he's wasted.

It's fun to note that the next time Mouse & Kelley were tasked with a Grateful Dead concert poster at the Avalon - one month later - they came up with a little design called Skeleton & Roses (FD-26). Measures 14 1/4" x 20". From the David Swartz Concert Poster Collection. COA from Heritage Auctions.

More Information: The reason CGC's grading strip says "OP-2" instead of "OP-1", but is a total original, is because two printings were done close to the concert that had a slightly different width. This one is 14 ¼" wide; the other version is slightly under 14". As Eric King's guide to psychedelic concert posters explains, both widths are considered originals because it's unknown which width was struck before the show and which one after, although it was just a few weeks after, so both versions are 1966 printings. But the "OP-2" designation here by no means suggests it has a better chance of being the one after; it's totally 50-50 odds, and collectors completely accept and embrace both widths as first printings.

Did you know that opening act Sopwith Camel were only the second San Francisco rock group to ever have a national Top 40 single? That's right, "Hello Hello" in early 1967, which reached #26 in Billboard's Hot 100. They would've been first, except the Beau Brummels beat them to it with "Laugh Laugh" a couple of years prior.