Our current auction, the November CGC Sale, features an extraordinary collection of items from Detroit’s premier psychedelic 60s music venue, the Grande Ballroom. The Grande Ballroom series produced some of the finest imagery from the 1960s music scene. In many cases, promoter Russ Gibb chose to produce only postcards to promote events That being the case, Grande cards, and card sets have become one of the most highly sought-after items by serious collectors.
We are pleased to offer some of these rarities courtesy of collector Roger DeLiso. DeLiso is a collector intimately connected to the late 1960s Detroit music scene. He was kind enough to share some information with us about his history with the material that we are sure will be exciting to collectors.
My entire connection to the Grande Ballroom came through my late older brother David. He was a rock drummer and because of him I began playing guitar in late 1967 at age 14. He would bring home these colorful "band" cards, I asked what they were and he told me all about the Grande. Not only would he bring them home but there was a “head shop” called the Plum Pit where Grande cards were dropped off and available for each upcoming week’s shows. Naturally, I wanted to hang out with him and would bug him to take me. He finally agreed, got me fake ID (you had to be 17) and on my 15th birthday in 1968 the first band he too me to see was Procol Harum.
The Grande was literally like a technicolor dream. You entered at street level, went up a wide staircase with flat black painted walls on either side covered with purple-lit blacklight posters, then up to a landing which had an antique dentist’s chair with a spotlight on it, then up another short flight which opened onto a massive dance floor ringed by Spanish motif arches. The arc of the stage at the far end was covered in tin foil and multi-colored oils were projected on the walls. I saw the first tour of Led Zeppelin, Savoy Brown, Jeff Beck Group, Fleetwood Mac, Procol Harum and of course the MC5 and Iggy and more.
In our basement there was an area where our parents let us have the record player and his drums and at one point a wall divider on which we posted all the cards he brought home. He was three years older and I can only imagine how many shows HE went to. There was an area maybe about four feet square where the cards were butted up right next to each other in rows and columns. It’s a wonderful memory.
Next, the sad and all too common truth. Time passed, he left home, I went away to college, and the entire group of cards was lost (thrown away I assume) some time in the early 1970s.
Fast forward to about 10 years ago, when, very much missing my brother, I took a notion to start re-collecting Grande cards. I became aware that there was a 81-card set that is considered the “core” set–primarily from the widely acclaimed artists Gary Grimshaw and Carl Lundgren. As the years passed I was so determined to collect the entire set that I made acquaintances with a few “principle” people who were directly involved with Russ Gibb at the Grande and who had collections that contained cards they agreed to sell.
As I continued my collecting, I had reason to contact Eric King–the guru of ‘60s psychedelic memorabilia. That contact led me to acquire (from one of his associates) the magnificent “Vanessa” that is up for auction and the spectacular “Creamsicle” from the previous auction. The “Gold” card, another almost impossible card to locate (in ANY condition) came by chance from someone just 10 miles from my home!
These cards are so rare because the print runs were MUCH lower than the Fillmore’s. Further, I don’t doubt that many were left on the floor or on the street after the show and if not that, thrown away soon after. The other reason they have great value is artwork that easily matches that of the “Big 5” of the San Francisco scene.
-Roger DeLiso
Our November CGC Auction Closes THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14th, at 9:00 PM ET. CLICK HERE TO ENTER!
