Woodstock Festival 1969 Original Location Poster from Wallkill, NY Graded 9.8 (AOR-3.2)....

Description

Woodstock Festival 1969 Original Location Poster from Wallkill, NY Graded 9.8 (AOR-3.2). An original first-printing poster from the summer of 1969 for the famous Woodstock three-day music festival in Wallkill, New York before it was moved 45 miles west to Bethel (White Lake). This beautiful poster was created by the esteemed David Byrd, and is much more intricate and sophisticated than the red poster which was eventually used for the final location. None of the musicians are given, but the luscious artwork more closely matched the "Music & Art Fair" theme of the festival. This poster has been graded a top-of-the-line 9.8 Near Mint/Mint by CGC (the Certified Guaranty Company), one of only six examples thus far to receive that grade.

It's interesting to note how Byrd's original design went completely for the "art fair" ethos of Woodstock, whereas Arnold Skolnick's red replacement poster emphasized the music by listing all the bands and musicians. Byrd used just 16 words but gorgeous stained-glass-window artwork to get his message across; Skolnick used hundreds of words and simple, childlike artwork. They both are very compelling in their own way, and it's nice that collectors can line up behind whichever one they prefer. Made on glossy cardstock, this poster measures 13 1/2" x 22 3/8" and grades to 9.8 Near Mint/Mint. COA from Heritage Auctions.

Literature: See Grushkin, Paul, The Art of Rock: Posters from Presley to Punk, Abbeville Press, New York, 1987, p.257 (illus.).

More Information: One could say that it's a shame Byrd's version - and vision - never got "used." But his creation has lived on strongly to this day, thanks to music-, poster- and art-collectors coveting it decades later, plus books reproducing it and exhibitions of all kinds displaying it.