Author Topic: Grateful Dead artwork stolen from auction house  (Read 130 times)

David Houck

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Grateful Dead artwork stolen from auction house
« on: May 20, 2015, 10:25:33 AM »
I just ran across this; notable because it includes the iconic Mouse/Kelley skeleton and roses painting.
 
Story here.
 
From the story:
 
What started as a festive auction of Grateful Dead memorabilia has resulted in a police investigation after about $75,000 worth of items were reported stolen from an auction house in McHenry County.
 
The stolen items include a 1966 original silkscreen of a skeleton with roses, which was enhanced by artist Stanley Mouse for the auction and had a reserve price of $25,000. The other items are a 1986 German promoter poster; a 1986 Statue of Liberty tour poster; and a 1966 serigraph signed by artist Wes Wilson.
 
An image of the Mouse/Kelly piece is here.

David Houck

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Grateful Dead artwork stolen from auction house
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2015, 10:30:38 AM »
There is a better story on this theft here.
 
The most valuable piece stolen is a hand-painted, 1966 original Stanley Mouse/Alton Kelley Family Dog skeleton with roses. This image became an iconic symbol for the band. This particular piece began as a black-and-white print. It has recently been hand-painted specifically for this auction.
 
?After 49 years in storage, Stanley decided the anniversary year would be a good time to hand-embellish his original silkscreen. Because it was painted only last fall, the colors are far sharper and more vibrant than the original,? an auction catalog stated.