 |
I spoke with Phil Cushway at Artrock concerning the
large version of this poster. The larger posters were used for promotion
prior to the concert, whereas the smaller ones (roughly 18" x 24") were
sold at the festival as souveneirs. The larger posters have been
bootlegged, and the following information should help collectors determine
if they have originals. I should add that Phil purchased all of his
Woodstock posters directly from Skolnick (the artist), and Phil still has
the receipt for that purchase. These are known originals. They vary in
size. Some are 23 3/4" x 36", and some are 24" x 36 1/2", so size is not
the determining factor (as has long been thought to be the case). They
also vary slightly in color. This is most noticeable in the fingers, which
range from an off-white to a pale beige. The paper stocks are identical,
which is quite thin, but not glossy. In fact, the poster has more of a
dull/flat finish to it. All originals that Phil has have the following
characteristics that were part of the printing process. These are often
referred to as "hickeys". They are generally caused by imperfections in
the printing plate (dust, etc.), and cannot be duplicated by reprinting
the poster without the original plates. 1. On the inside edge of the right hand stem of the "M" in "MUSIC", where the stem makes a 45 degree angle back to the left, there is a tiny dot just inside the white ink. It is no bigger than a tiny pin hole, and is very close to the peak in the red ink. 2. There is a white speck to the left of the finger closest to the left edge. This speck is 1" up from the bottom of the blue band, and is less than 1/8" from the left edge of the poster that is 23 3/4" wide, and 1/4"-3/8" from the left edge of the poster that is 24" wide. 3. There is a tiny white dot in the top stem of the "3". It is roughly in the middle of the orange ink, and is 3/8" from the left edge of the "3". This one is difficult to find. You'll need really good light, and may even need some magnification. |
|
|
|
