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Stephenson’s auction revisits golden age of rock

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In August, rock music fans the world over took a nostalgic trip back to the 1960s and ’70s as Stephenson’s Auction sold 339 concert posters from the estate collection of pioneer poster collector/dealer Perry Pfeffer (circa 1949-2020).

The private collection, featuring artist-signed rarities from San Francisco’s Summer of Love and the heyday of New York’s Fillmore East grossed nearly $300,000.

On New Year’s Day, Stephenson’s will present Part II of the Perry Pfeffer estate collection, with a 420-lot selection that is “every bit as impressive as that seen in the initial offering.”

“All of the posters and handbills are in mint or near-mint condition, and some are signed by the artists, including Bonnie McLean, David Singer, Randy Tuten, Lee Conklin and Stanley Mouse,” said Cindy Stephenson, owner of Stephenson’s Auction. “At the top end, there are some very rare posters that will likely sell for thousands of dollars, but there are also other excellent examples in the $300 to $500 estimate range.”

The collection’s timeline starts in the psychedelic ’60s, a time when Pfeffer was living in San Francisco and presciently acquiring now-classic posters, sometimes from the artists themselves. Later in life, Pfeffer returned to his native Philadelphia and in 2001 launched Postercade, a commercial website popular with poster aficionados.

“Perry Pfeffer was a widely acknowledged expert on music posters, and the very best of what he acquired during his lifetime was kept in his private collection,” Stephenson said. The collection’s timeline ends in 2011, as represented by two different styles of Black Keys posters.

The highest-estimated poster is a 1969 lithograph touting the 20th century’s most famous music event, the Original Woodstock Music and Art Fair and Aquarian Exposition. This original Type 1 poster promoting the pinnacle of hippie culture – the famed mega-concert held at Max Yasgur’s Farm in Bethel, N.Y. – was created by artist Arthur Skolnick (b. 1937-) and is expected to sell for $6,000 to $8,000.

The auction will be held live, beginning at noon, at the company’s Southampton gallery, with phone, absentee and internet live bidding available through LiveAuctioneers). In-gallery inspection is from 1to 4 p.m. Dec. 31 and from 11 a.m until the start of auction on Jan. 1. Guests are asked to wear masks and observe social distancing. For information on any item in the sale, call Cindy Stephenson at 215-322-6182 or e-mail info@stephensonsauction.com. Visit Stephenson’s Auction online at stephensonsauction.com.


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