Classic Posters - Poster Sets - I Never Met a Set I Did Not Like Classic Posters - Poster Sets - I The Bill Graham situation is even more Never Met a Set I Did Not Like complicated, as most of you reading this by Michael Erlewine already know. Let's review it: [email protected] Bill Graham Original Series of posters, handbills, and postcards, some 289 I never met a set I did not like, but that's events just me. What is it about having a complete set of something that is so Bill Graham Presents (over 300 posters) satisfying? I have no idea, but I am an Bill Graham New Fillmore (over 500 addict, that's for sure, which is not to posters) suggest I don't collect posters in ones - Bill Graham Special Events (about 31 singly. I am an addict for those too! But, posters) let's just talk about sets. Bill Graham Fillmore East ( a dozen or Before we get too far, let's be clear that so posters) aside from those sets numbered by the publisher, what constitutes a set is The above are all quite distinct series, something more or less agreed upon by but, in addition, there are any number of senior collectors, rather than a simple flyers and handbills and what-nots for process of counting them up. There are special event shows. How about all the very few numbered sets that are that B&W flyers by artist Randy Tuten for Bill simple. Even the so-called classic Graham? Where do they fit in? numbered sets of the Family Dog and Anyway, you get the idea. We have Bill Graham Original Series are based somewhat of a clear idea as to what the on what collectors consider the main sets are, but we are walking on numbered set, a particular set of kind of shaky ground here, should we posters, but not necessarily every piece decide to look down at all of the pieces of paper with 'Bill Graham Presents' on of paper that may have fallen through it. the cracks. Collectors agree to ignore The same is true for the Family Dog those. Numbered Series, which consists of Non-California Sets by Michael some 147 events, complete with their Erlewine particular posters, handbills, and cards. And this is just what is called the There are other posters that are 'original series,' and does not include all collected as a set, such as the the pre-Family Dog dance series, the Kaleidoscope series of round posters Family Dog at the Great Highway, and from Los Angeles, but even this set has the Family Dog series at Maritime Hall. a couple of items that may or may not These are not considered part of the be considered necessary as part of that main set, although there is no absolute set, and they are square. And then there reason why they could not be, since the is the Grande Ballroom, that very much same promoter, Chet Helms, holds all collected series from Detroit. the copyrights. They are considered With the Grande Ballroom, we have a mini sets of their own. choice of collecting full posters, handbills, and cards or any one of them. Classic Posters - Poster Sets - I Never Met a Set I Did Not Like A lot of people collect the cards, and the perhaps only the Neon Rose is locked- posters are also widely collected, but in-stone as a fixed set. There are 26 some of the posters are quite rare. With Neon Rose. Period. The artist, Victor the handbills, which are very rare, there Moscoso, numbered them. are some numbers with as few as When you get into the other numbered perhaps a single known copy. The sets, there are 147 numbered Family handbills have fewer adherents, but they Dog events and 289 numbered events are a very determined lot. And like all in the Bill Graham Original series. With the venues mentioned above, there is both of these venues, there are all kinds the falloff factor to consider. It is kind of of variations, with respectful arguments like walking out into a lake and reaching or discussions about what is the first a drop off. Do you keep going and printing and what was printed after the declare more and more as part of what event, for aftermarket sales. you collect or stay with where you are, and call it a set? What is the point of all this? It is that in all but a very few cases, the numbered Using the Grande Ballroom as an sets are held together by the intent of example, do we collect only the Russ the original publisher's numbering Gibb events at the Grande Ballroom system (and these are sometimes miss- itself, or do we collect all the Russ Gibb numbered) or by the glue of collectors' events, even those held out of state and agreements as to what constitutes a set. out-of-country? Do we collect some of However you look at it, it all works out the shows held there after Gibb's tenure, and the system seems to be working. like the Grande Family shows, various John Sinclair-oriented fund-raisers, or The Value of Sets Compared to just any event held there? Do we collect Selling Them Individually posters for events held at the Grande There is some argument as to the value Ballroom (after all, it was in use for of sets. One would think that a complete decades before Russ Gibb) before the set, with all the missing spots filled, Russ Gibb Grande shows? These are would be worth more than selling the questions that only you, the collector, same set piecemeal. We have can answer. adherents on both sides. Some However collectors of Grande Material collectors state that a complete set is more or less agree that the Russ Gibb worth something extra, a premium to material is what they will collect, with cover the expense and time to hunt perhaps the three Grande Family cards down and collect all posters in that set, thrown in for good measure, if you can while others think that, because there find them. are fewer buyers available for the really large and expensive sets, that it is better Two Types of Sets by Michael to break up the set and sell it off that Erlewine way. Those who would break up sets To clarify: there are two types of sets and sell them figure that there are those generally collected, those numbered by few buyers for the really expensive the original publisher, and those pieces, who (ironically enough) will buy numbered by collectors. Of all the sets them to complete their own sets. The numbered by the original publisher, rest (smaller pieces) can be sold off Classic Posters - Poster Sets - I Never Met a Set I Did Not Like elsewhere, with the net result being, so Whatever the reason, that one weak link they say, more total dollars. The sell-as- in the set, that "most rare" poster limits a-set folks feel that, while there may be the total amount of sets that can exist. fewer buyers able to afford a complete Period. Of course, some collectors, set, you only need to find that one buyer anxious to complete their sets, have who appreciates the work involved in tried to declare this poster or that poster building a set and the beauty of having as not needed for a complete set, but the entire set on hand. And they are out these mostly-bogus reasons have not there. Having a complete set if very held up and reason has prevailed. Any satisfying and something to behold. It is poster, handbill, or card that was printed also a good investment, in most cases. BEFORE an event to advertise that These things appreciate. event is to be considered part of the full set. And the fact of the matter is that all Downside of Set Collecting these collectors who try to disqualify a However, one of the downsides of really difficult poster to find, fight like collecting a set is you end up buying a mad to add that same poster to their certain amount of really ugly posters, or collection. End of story. posters of no real consequence (as to the bands at the gig, or the artwork Image Sets itself), posters you would never collect Another very popular practice is to otherwise. You have to fill those empty collect an 'image set'. An image set is a spots to complete a set. complete set or run of the posters, but And rarity of a numbered set is totally not with original printings. Instead, any dependent on the weakest link in the printing (reprint) is considered fair game set: whichever poster happens to be the to build an image set, whether it be a rarest - fewer copies exist. And these poster, handbill, or card. The key is to most-rare posters can be rare because have all the images. An image set everyone like them and took them home usually contains both originals and to keep (and won't sell them), or reprints as part of a set. Image sets can because they were ugly and no one took bring real bucks too. them home and they were left as trash There are probably as few as 10 near- in the street. An even more fickle reason complete sets of the original Grande for a poster to be rare, and this is posters known. No less an expert than probably the most common one, is that archivist Eric King says there may be as something happened to that poster on few as 30 complete sets of originals for the way to the event, like a printing the Family Dog and Bill Graham series mishap, an under-run, or whatever.