any hunter thompson/tom benton collectors out there?

i just picked this up on ebay for 30 bucks. it's one of the aspen wallposters that thomas w benton and hst collaborated on in the late 60's and early 70's. i think they did a total of 5 posters, with one side by thompson and the other by benton. since i can't find any for sale anywhere on the net i can't figure out a good estimate on the worth, but i know it's much more that $30. the only thing i DID find was a link to ken lopez booksellers where they were selling a complete set of 5 for $7500.
anyone here know the scarcity and worth of this? any and all info would be much appreciated

Who put those thumb tacks in this?

Bill

I think that these could go for around $150-$250 individually, with the one featuring "Thompson for Sheriff", fetching more.

Having a complete set would definitely up the value. And also keep in mind that the set that Ken Lopez has one of the posters signed by Hunter.

That being said, I've also gotten an individual poster for around $40. This is about the price one can find them for if the seller isn't aware of the collectbility of HST.

Hope this helps...

Also, I believe that the one that you have is No. 4. A variation of it can be found printed in "Kingdom of Fear".

bill, you can bet yr sweet arse i didn't put those tacks in it! that pic is from the seller. over all, it's not in that bad of condition. also, it's signed in pencil by the artist and dated '69.

thanks for the info saywhat. in my many hours of research as of late i can't find a single copy of this poster anywhere else, so i know it's gotta be pretty scarce. hell, there's not that much info at all about these posters on the web. tomwbenton.com is selling the sheriff poster for $750, and his other political posters range from $750 to $5000. aspengraphicart.com is no longer printing his posters since his wife died in december(he died about a year ago). i lucked into one of the last sheriff posters they printed/sold right before xmas for $300(it was slightly flawed).

Sure thing, James. These are definitely scarce. And at second glance, the one that you have might predate the wall poster "set".

I believe that each one was numbered (in some way) on the front of the poster, "No. 1", "2", etc. I've attached the image that I mentioned from "Kingdom of Fear".

So with the signature and date ('69), it might be a proof or variant or something of the like. Or maybe not... This is just me speculating.

But as for the "Sheriff" poster, I think that there were three editions:

The Aspen Wall Poster, the separate campaign poster and the contemporary reprint by Benton.

And then there are the posters, t-shirts, fridge magnets, etc, made by bootleggers who incorrectly put "Hunter Thompson for Sheriff" instead of the correct "Thompson for Sheriff".


Sorry, I obviously like geeking out about Hunter as much as I like geeking out about Hank...

i emailed tom benton's website asking about the poster in question and this is their response:



I believe this an original poster poster Tom did in 1969, which may have served as inspiration/template for the Aspen Wall Poster #4
I've attached images of what the actual Aspen Wall Poster #4 looks like (front, inside, and back)
I've never seen the artwork/image that you've sent before, but I believe it may be an original trial run, or an actual poster tom created, a pre-cursor to the actual Aspen Wall Poster. Perhaps a poster Tom did (that Hunter liked) and wanted to use for the Aspen Wall Posters. Regardless, its a really cool peace. If you don't mind, can I ask how much you paid for it?
Also, please let me know if the poster is numbered when you receive it? on the bottom left? I"m writing a book about Benton's works and the history of Aspen, and would like to add this work to his catalogue.
Thanks for your interest and for sending the images.
Please let me know if I can help or provide any more information,
Cheers,
DJ


pretty cool! dang i love ebay sometimes....

Well, it looks like you might have something there,
James. I mean when some of that shit is going for 3k+

yessir father luke. i do believe i just might have something here

well, I'm just a fan,

good one FL

james

let us know if it someone gets it!

Nice!

I too bought a piece of thomas W.Benton artwork

HI I have been trying to get information on this piece of artwork I picked up at a estate sale in my area. I cannot find anything on it, except that the artist is out of colorado and quite popular, any help or info sending me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Brenda

I know nothing about Tom Benton, but having worked in a museum for some time in a previous life... Artists Proofs are typically the next best thing to original paintings. It looks like a beautiful piece.

brenda, that's a very nice print! google will direct you to most benton sites, but bentonbook.com and tomwbenton.com are the main ones.
may i ask how much you paid for the print? you can contact me privately if you like. i was unable to send you a private message.

HI James, I live in SEattle and purchased this near by I would rather not say what I paid but its no where what I believe it to be worth, almost as good a deal as your piece you bought. I tried to get info from the tom benton site they never responded, I thought maybe no longer in business I will try to find the book of tom bentons, maybe the picture will be in it. I was going to put it on ebay but have no idea what its worth, what did you ever do with your print?? Thanks

HI again James also the print came in the original heavy duty steel type frame I knew it had to be something pretty special the frame is very heavy and not cheap, I went on my gut instincts anyone who would invest in such a nice frame must think pretty highly of the print. Brenda

brenda,
if you emailed the benton book site, he (the site admin. and archive guy) sometimes takes a few days or more to respond, but they are indeed still going. they are working on a book of his prints, which he told me would be finished later this year. it is likely your print hasn't been archived, as most of the prints i own aren't on their site.
as far as value, i've paid $9 up to several hundred for benton prints, so prices seem to be all over the place. the print at the start of this thread is hanging in my "book room" under another benton. anyway, if you do decide to sell, lemme know!!!

thomas Benton

HI James, good to know they still exsist, I will email them again. Your right on ebay the prices are allover. Iwas thinking of taking it to a local appraiser dealing only in artwork, see if they can give more information. Thanks again Brenda

Doc actually gave me a copy of the Aspen Wall Poster #3 with the sheep. It's pictured in his book "Kingdom of Fear". I think it's the rarest poster out of the bunch from what I have read.

that's awesome! that particular wall poster is probably my favorite.

Hey all. newbie to the site. I'm looking to buy a couple of the Aspen Wall Posters. I have numbers 4 & 5, the "American Dream" and "Thompson for Sheriff", prints and I would like to add numbers 3 & 7 to my collection.
Please hit me up if you have either and are willing to part with it. I've already contacted the Benton site, but their prices are unrealistic in this market.

Here's a look at my prints: (click to enlarge)



inside #4




Thanks!

What are the prices on the Benton site? Have you counter offered?

Bill

Certain prints aren't listed and others seem to change by mood. On #7 I was quoted $750, but he was willing to take $600. Number 3 is not listed right now.
I'm sure someone can do better than that. The other prints through other sellers go in the low 200's, and an AP of Thompson for Sheriff sold in the last week for $270, plus $40shipping on eBay.
I bought my Thompson for Sheriff signed by Benton for $450 and the American Dream signed for $85, through a private seller. I think the mid $200's is a fair price for the rest, with number three maybe getting into the 300's.
What do you guys think?

other than the benton site, who is selling benton prints? they seem to be few and far between. also, what is an "AP" of thompson for sheriff? an advanced proof? or is it aspen poster? i've been watching ebay for the last year for benton prints and didn't see that one sell. how did i miss it?
well sure, mid $200s IS a fair price for wall posters, but booksellers in general want to make money first and foremost. $600 is high, but these prints are very fuckin' scarce (as you may well know). i've been in contact with the guy at the benton site, and his price quotes do seem high, but i respect them none the less and will wait until i have more money or find them elsewhere...

also, you got a STEAL on the american dream poster! kudos...

AP is artist proof. Usually the printer will screen a few of these for the artist, if they artist approves the run is made. An AP is the rarest screen print.
If I had the $600 I would buy number 3, but I don't have that much I want it at a price I can afford.
The American Dream print I got a steal on because I bought from the same guy I got the Thompson for Sheriff print so I worked out a batch deal with him. My Thompson for Sheriff is signed by Benton also, something the guy over at the Benton site quoted me $1,500 for.
I've come across individuals at random selling the prints, but most of the time people don't know what they have. On ebay they're rarely identified as Aspen Wall Posters... most of the time sellers don't even know the artist. The guy selling the AP Thompson for Sheriff Print identified it as a Tom M Benton print, I saw someone else selling an Aspen Wall Poster as a Thomas Hart Benton print.

oh yes, artist proof. how did i miss that? i have one here.
yea, most sellers don't really know what they have, which is great for the buyer. the thompson for sheriff wall posters i've seen on ebay in the last year, the sellers did know what they had and i couldn't afford the asking price. i've picked up some nice prints, though, for next to nothing as well. i got one for $9!
fyi: the benton painting that is my avatar (it's approx 5 feet by 5 feet), i asked a price quote from the benton site and they said it's $10,000, but could probably get a slight deal for me. i said, Thanks!, but no thanks...

James, which Aspen Wall Posters are you looking for? I'll let you know if I come across it.

actually, i'm looking for any and all of 'em! i have a total of 6 benton prints, but none of them are aspen wall posters. 2 are variations of wall posters (the one that started this thread and a thompson for sheriff print, printed by benton, but not a wall poster) but not the real deal. i haggled with this guy on ebay over a sheriff wall poster when he ended the auction early, but he just wouldn't budge in the end. something about wanting to wait for the economy to get better.
but, if i had to pick one, it would be #3, which ES09 mentioned he had in post #19.

This thread makes me wish that I had never sold my complete set of Aspen Wall Posters... Damn you all!

I'm with you on that one! Other than Thompson for Sheriff, I think number 3 is the most aesthetically pleasing.The message is great too!