Lot 1088 email save

Silk-screened Hunter S. Thompson Sheriff poster

1088. Original silk-screened artist proof of the "Hunter S. Thompson for Sheriff" campaign poster, signed by Hunter S. Thompson. Original silk-screened artists proof "Thompson for Sheriff, 1970, Aspen, Colorado" poster designed by Tom Benton. In 1970 Gonzo journalist, Hunter S. Thompson, ran for sheriff of Pitkin County, Colorado [Aspen], on the "Freak Power" ticket promoting decriminalization of drugs (for personal use only), tearing up the streets and turning them into grassy pedestrian malls, banning any building so tall as to obscure the mountains, and renaming Aspen "Fat City" to deter investors. Thompson ended up nearly losing the election. The poster is signed by Hunter Thompson in bright gold paint pen at center right. To obtain his distinctive, stylistic signature, he first smashed the paint pen to get the paint gushing out for the desired effect. The poster design features a six-pointed sheriff star with bright red Gonzo fist and green/blue peyote flower. Thompson and Benton collaborated on the final design of the poster and this artist proof represents the final approved poster design. The poster has a tear across the lower part of the fist attributed to the work of Benton and Thompson when they attempted to remove something taped to it. Of specific note is the original Benton sketch design of the peyote flower taped to the poster center left. Accompanied by a letter of authenticity from Marci Benton, wife of artist Thomas W. Benton. $4000 - $6000