Political Posters: Five Rare Posters for Collectors

Highlights from The Center for the Study of Political Graphics and PBA Galleries' June 25 Political Posters auction includes:

* Censorship is UnAmerican by Josh Gosfield (New York, Virgin Records, 1990)

Commissioned by Virgin Records, later licensed by Rock the Vote and for the MTV music awards, this poster is also found in the collection of the Smithsonian. The initial impetus for the commission was the banning of the album by the rap group 2 Live Crew which was outlawed for obscenity in parts of Florida in June 1990. There were instances in Los Angeles where the publicly displayed posters were "enhanced" by graffiti artists, who would replace the word UN with VERY, so the poster read "Censorship is Very American". Estimate: $1,000-$1,500

* Solidarity With The African American People by Emory Douglas, (Havana, Organización de Solidaridad de los Pueblos de Africa, Asia y América Latina (OSPAAAL), 1968)

With art by Minister of Culture and Revolutionary Artist for the Black Panther Party, Emory Douglas. Estimate: $700-$1,000

* Stop War - Dead Children Can't Draw (Los Angeles, Assembly of Men & Women In The Arts Concerned With Vietnam, 1967)

Featuring a drawing by "Jane Pollack Age 5", the poster was created for a June 6, 1967, event at Los Angeles's Ambassador Hotel. The Assembly of Men & Women In The Arts Concerned With Vietnam was founded December 1964/January 1965. Among its members were Ray Bradbury, Richard Diebenkorn, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg, Rockwell Kent, Rockwell Kent, Lewis Mumford and Carl Reiner. Estimate: $500-$800.

* Gone With The Wind Anti-Nuke Poster by Bob LIght and John Houston (Hampton, CT, Donnelly/Colt, c.1980s)

Based on 1982 poster produced by Light and Houston for the Socialist Workers Party (London). Estimate: $200 - $300.

* Nicaragua's Insurreccion Evangelica by Leonicio Sáenz (Nicaragua, Companic, 1985)

Three color offset-printed posters comprising Insurreccion Evangelica, Vencedora Del Fiero Dragon, and Yo Soy El Camino. Estimate: $200-$300.