Posted 12 years ago
MattyG
(197 items)
I picked this one up when I lived in Philadelphia from a Craigslist ad stating 2 for $10 with no photos. I think it is real and plan to frame it either way. It has the copyright symbol and 1978 Mouse/Kelley/Bill Graham printed in bottom left corner. On right bottom corner it says, "*Litho U.S.A. Tea Lautrec Litho San Fransisco and is almost as thick as a baseball card paper is. Has 3 thumbtack holes at top and bottom edges. Does anyone know if this is original?
Hi MattyG:
Here's a page with info about this poster:
http://expressobeans.com/public/detail.php/2135
There seems to be a minor disagreement about the dimensions of the first printing; some say 19 x 28, others say 19 x 28.5. The key, though, is the color of the yellow behind the rose. If it's a muddy orange, then it's a reprint. Yours appears to be nice and yellow. ;-)
-Ben
Thank you for the info Belltown, I went and checked the dimensions. I oddly came up with 28 5/16" x 19", could that be.
As luck would have it, I'm attending a poster show this weekend in San Francisco. The people from Tea Lautrec Litho, which printed that poster, will be there with their archive. I'll ask them so we can clear this up once and for all.
Thanks for the love Bellin68.
Thanks for the love Tony.
Thanks for the love musikchoo.
Great poster! Love The Dead's artwork.
So based on your description of this poster, at least the paper stock you described, it would lead me to believe it is a "Window Card", but most window cards measure approximately 14" x 22" and were made from a thin cardboard stock (Similar to baseball cards)
However based on the dimensions you gave, it describes a "Half-Sheet" poster size: approximately 21" x 28". This being said, if it is an original, it could very well have been backed to cardboard which is a BAD way to preserve this or any vintage poster, as the acid will eventually eat away at the poster and destroy it.
If original, this is most likely an Offset Lithograph or Silkscreen. The paper itself should NOT be a thick card stock like you described, it should be paper. Either way you should take a closer look and see if it has in deed been backed onto board, if so, you should have it professionally removed and remounted onto acid free paper and linen backed, this process will help preserve this poster and will even brighten the colors on it. Original Grateful Dead posters will only increase in value as they are highly collectible, so take care of it. GREAT poster! Nice buy!
Thanks for the info zguy2112. I do need to frame these Dead posters, I have had them rolled up in a tube with some ever rarer turn of the century gold leaf posters(?) for years.
I may have described it too thick, not quite as thick as a bb card, but way thicker than the Avalon Ballroom one I have, that one is closer to paper than cardboard. Definitely not glued to another, only 1 layer on this one.
See what you think about the Avalon poster I will post now, do you think it's real?
I haven't settled down enough to unpack, frame and enjoy, I move a lot flipn' houses, and everything need to be protected from dust or damage. Tough moving around when you own close to 50k vinyls and hoard collectibles : )
Glad I was able to help and would love to see the other posters you are talking about. When you frame this poster, just make sure to use spacers or a mat to keep the glass from touching the actual poster itself, and everything should be ACID FREE, this will help archive the poster.
As far as storage, it is ok to keep them rolled and tubed but it is best to store them flat such as in a Flat File drawer (This is how I store all mine that I don't display). If your posters are vintage and original, I would suggest professionally linen backing all of them for better preservation. Good luck!
Hi MattyG:
I checked with the people who printed this and they said that the dimension discrepancy you noticed (yours is just under 28.5) was par for the course back then because the machines that cut and trimmed posters were mechanical, not electronic (let alone digital). So, this appears to be a 1st edition. It was never printed as a screen print, only as an offset. I would store it flat, and the poster collectors I know would not buy this if you backed it with linen, or anything else.
Nice piece for 10 bucks. ;-)
Original vintage lithographs should ALWAYS be backed on either acid free rice paper and then as an option, onto linen. This helps preserve the poster from further deterioration! All vintage lithographs were originally printed on paper that in deed HAD acid on them during printing, these posters were meant to be displayed and NOT saved. When a poster is linen backed, it is put through a wash cycle that REMOVES all acid from the original paper. Any serious poster collector will tell you the same. It only INCREASES the poster's value.
You can of course ignore this process, but doing so will surely lessen the life of this poster or any vintage poster for that matter. Also avoid direct sunlight if you will be framing this poster, even if the glass is UV protected. I have been collecting original lithographs for decades now, I would not stir you wrong!
http://www.magicpostergallery.com/magicpostergallery/FAQ.html
The above obvious goes for paper poster, NOT a thick card stock. Not really sure which you have based on your description.
At least the woman had the sense to sell them, they could have been swirling the Pacific by now. I will take both of your advise and have them professionally framed. I was originally planning to frame it myself, so i'm glad you two stressed the importance of doing it properly. I loved them last week when I wasn't sure of authenticity, thanks for making my week guys : )
Glad we can help. These Dead posters are very cool and if original, only increase in value so take care of them. Rock on!