03Legendary artist, Stanley Mouse, has been a mainstay in the music scene since the 1960s, creating iconic and memorable concert posters for some of the biggest names in music. Over the past few decades, Mouse's designs have become collector's items, and they continue to be sought after today. In light of the news that Mouse has suffered a severe stroke, we'd like to take the time to count down the top 11 poster designs from the master himself that defined the music scene.

Background

Stanley Mouse is a legendary concert poster artist who is widely regarded as one of the greatest poster designers of all time. His psychedelic posters are iconic, and his influence on the music scene cannot be overstated. Mouse was born in Detroit in 1940 and moved to San Francisco in the mid-1960s. If you want a more in-depth look at his story, check out this blog!

Outline of the List

For the purpose of the list, I'm going to try to keep to pieces where Stanley Mouse is either the sole artist, or it's clear he was the "lead" designer, though it's nearly impossible to discount his work with Alton Kelley when discussing his top work. Also note,that this is my opinion and not that of the entire poster-collecting world. I'm looking for value, rarity, overall design, and my own preference for the designs. That being said, let me know which ones I missed or the ones you love in the comments!

Number 5 - AOR-2.137 Port Chicago Vigil

One of the most notable and iconic Stanley Mouse designs, the AOR-2.137 poster was created in 1967 and features Country Joe & The FishSteve Miller Blues Band. As we countdown through the top 6 poster designs of Stanley Mouse, it's clear that AOR-2.137 is one of his most defining pieces.

Currently, there are only 5 on the CGC census with the highest being an 8.0. The highest this poster has sold, graded, was an 8.0 sold for $450 at PAE. Although raw ones have sold for over $800 in auction. 

Number 4 - BG-110 The Cream

One of Stanley Mouse's more unassuming designs is BG-110, featuring The Cream. This psychedelic poster perfectly captures Stanley Mouse's iconic "rock" lettering. His attention to detail is evident in every aspect of this poster, from the carefully crafted typography to the meticulous placement of each element.

The BG-110 poster truly embodies the spirit of the era and showcases Stanley Mouse's unparalleled talent for creating unforgettable psychedelic posters. There are 21 total graded in the CG census. The highest being 9.8. The highest graded sale was in 2021 for just shy of $7k for a 9.8. 

Number 3 - AOR-2.173 

While Stanley Mouse has countless bright and colorful designs, this Fire Dance poster from 1968 is a more subtle design. There are only (2) currently in the CGC census with the highest one graded at 7.0.

While there isn’t much movement on the graded posters, it does pop up in auctions raw. Sales hit the higher side of $900 back in 2017. 

Number 2 - AOR-2.185

This poster is such a great example of what fun work Stanley Mouse can come up with. Doesn’t hurt that it features the Grateful Dead. At the moment, there are 15 graded with the highest being 9.8.

The highest this poster has sold, graded, was in 2021 for just over $4k for a 9.8 at ClassicPosters. 

Honorable Mentions

There are countless designs that popped up while I was working on this blog that I wanted to include. So, I decided to include them here. These are all posters that Mouse & Kelley designed together. I tried to keep the top list as solely Stanley Mouse’s work, hence the collaborative work going here. From left to right here are some stats.

FD-29 currently has 59 graded in the CGC Census. The highest sold back in 2018 for over $10k.

FD-16 has 34 graded on the CGC Census right now. The highest graded sale was $4,899 for a 9.6 back in 2017.

FD-26 is arguably the most iconic psychedelic poster and most notable design for the Grateful Dead. There are currently 67 in the CGC Census with sales regularly over $100k for the higher grades. 

FD-D6 currently has 58 graded copies; the highest sold price was $1,320 for a 10.0.

AOR-2.325 currently has 8 graded. Highest selling graded poster was a 9.4 that sold for $8,400.

Number 1 - FD-13

This is the first poster to feature Stanley Mouse in the Family Dog collection, alone. There are 16 graded in the CGC Census currently with the highest one being 9.8. The highest this has sold for was in 2022 for $20k at Heritage Auctions. Not only is this a great piece, so few exist in high grade that it makes it a highly desired piece as well. 

Summary

All in all, Mouse has countless amazing pieces. It’s hard to pick a “top” list. So these are just my top picks. Let me know which ones you would put on your list! With the news of Mouse’s stroke, I wanted to highlight some of the amazing pieces that he worked on over the years. If you are so inclined and was to support his art, you can see some more cool pieces on his site.