The following is a preliminary listing of the various posters issued by Big O Posters of London between 1967 and 1970. The listing has been compiled from advertisements in OZ magazine and a 1971 Big O Posters catalogue. Precise publication dates are difficult to ascertain, as are the number of copies printed and any subsequent variants. For example, it has been stated that more than 100,000 copies of the Martin Sharp Bob Dylan poster were printed in various edition up until the early 1970s. As offset lithography was utilised in the majority of cases, the number of copies which could be taken were almost limitless. The table below includes the BIG O catalogue number, title and artist details, and information about the printing. There is a detailed focus in this list on the works of Martin Sharp who supported his friend David Ledeboer in setting up Big O and whose works were the foundation for the company's initial success.
| No. | Title / Artist | Details |
| BO1 | Cannabis - Martin Sharp | June/July 1967. Offset lithograph in 2 colours - orange/red and black - on gold foil, 20 x 30 inches. Portrait format. Price: 9/6d. 70p. 65p. Initially listed in OZ magazine as BO7. References; OZ: 13, 32, 36, 47. Printed prior to formation of Big O around September 1967, then subsequently reprinted. An initial version is known with three colours - red, orange/red and black. This first version also exists without any reference to Big O along the bottom border. Collage and drawing by Sharp, utilising images from old National Geographic magazines. |
| BO2 | Sex - Martin Sharp | 1967. Offset lithograph in 3 colours - pink, blue and black - on silver foil, 20 x 30 inches. Portrait format. Collage featuring a flower engraving background with a photograph of a man in a gorilla suit carrying off a semi-naked native woman. This is a common poster, but there is no reference by the artist to its origin. |
| BO3 | Pope - Accept Suffering Humbly - Bobby Davidson | 1967. Photographic portrait of the Catholic Pope. |
| BO4 | Live Give Love - Martin Sharp | 1967. Offset lithograph in 1 colour - black - on silver foil, 20 x 30 inches. Landscape format. Drawing by Martin Sharp, based on part of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel work. Also listed as BOP4. |
| BO5 | - | No item identified. |
| BO6 | Bonnie Parker | 1967. Photograph. |
| BO7 | Bobby [Kennedy] | 1967. Photograph. |
| BOP1 | Bob Dylan | October 1967. Offset lithograph in 2 colours - red and black - on gold foil. 20 x 30 inches. Portrait format. |
| BOP2 | Black Flower | 1967. 4 colours on paper. |
| BOP3 | Jean Shrimpton - David Vaughn | 1967. 1 colour on silver foil. |
| BOP4 | Live Give Love - Martin Sharp | 1967. 1 colour on silver foil. Also listed as BO4. |
| BOP5 | Buddha - David Vaughn | 1967. 1 colour on silver foil |
| BOP6 | Max Ernst by Martin Sharp | 3 colours on silver foil |
| BOP7 | Donovan - Martin Sharp | 3 colours on silver foil |
| BOP8 | Vincent van Gogh - Martin Sharp | 4 colours on paper |
| BOP9 | Shepherds | |
| BOP10 | Mick Jagger by larry Smart | 4 colours on paper |
| BOP11 | Mother (Frank Zappa) | 4 colours on paper |
| BOP12 | Custer | 3 colours on paper |
| BOP13 | Wild Bill Hickok | 3 colours on paper |
| BOP14 | Annie Oakley | 3 colours on paper |
| BOP15 | Indian Trader | |
| BOP16 | Portrait | |
| BOP17 | OZ / LOZt Generation - Martin Sharp | 2 colours on paper |
| BOP18 | - | - |
| BOP19 | Bonnie & Clyde | |
| BOP20 | Spiderman | 4 colours on paper |
| BOP21 | Ostrich | |
| BOP26 | Cream by Martin Sharp | 4 colours on paper |
| BOP30 | Shrimpton - Single Head - David Vaughan | 1 colour on silver foil |
| BOP31 | Shrimpton - Double Head - David Vaughan | 1 colour on silver foil |
| BOP36 | Teddy Bears | |
| BOP37 | Toytown | 4 colours on paper |
| BOP39 | Puddings | |
| BOP40 | Jagger | |
| BOP41 | Zappa | |
| BOP43 | Bark | |
| BOP44 | Louise Ferrier | 4 colours on paper |
| BOP45 | Chained | |
| BOP46 | Painted Body | 4 colours on paper |
| BOP48 | Periera | |
| BOP49 | Lilliput | |
| BOP50 | Kate | |
| BOP51 | Luderbar | |
| BOP52 | Bandbox | |
| BOP53 | Circus | |
| BOP54 | St Bruno | |
| MS1 | Float (red bead floating) | 1969. Colour on mylar |
| MS2 | The Flying Eye (humunculus) | 1969. Colour on mylar |
| MS3 | All You Need (Heart) | 1969. Colour on mylar |
| MS4 | Standing Alone (Erect penis) | 1969. Colour on mylar |
| MS5 | Boo-Zoom (Floating breast) | 1969. Colour on mylar |
| MS6 | Wot! (Question mark) | 1969. Colour on mylar |
| MS7 | Exclamation (Knot) | 1969. Colour on mylar |
| MS8 | Coming (UFO) | 1969. Colour on mylar |
| MS9 | Van Box - Martin Sharp | 1969. 4 colours on paper |
| MS10 | Mick 'n Vince - Martin Sharp | 1969. 4 colours on paper |
| MS11 | Man on the Moon - Martin Sharp | 1969. 4 colours on paper. |
| MS12 | Curtain Call | 1969. 4 colours on paper |
| MS13 | Spurt | 1969. 4 colours on paper |
| MS14 | Lips | 1970. Colour on mylar. |
| MS15 | - | - |
| MS16 | Jimi Hendrix - Martin Sharp | September 1968. 4 colours on paper |
| N/A | Plant a flower child - Martin Sharp | May 1967. 2 colours on paper. |
| N/A | Position 70 - Hapshash and the Coloured Coat, OZ magazine number 4 cover | June 1967. 4 colours on paper. |
| A130 | Love Me This Year - Martin Sharp. Splash Poster. Advertised for sale at £2.2. and attributed to Sharp in OZ 10. | |
| RP1 | Kangaroo | |
| RP2 | Lion | |
| RP3 | Walrus | |
| RP4 | Camel | |
| RP5 | Giraffe | |
| RP6 | Elephant | |
| RP7 | Trogon | |
| RP8 | Hornbill | |
| RP9 | Stork | |
| RP10 | Lyre Bird | |
| RP11 | Wood Duck | |
| RP12 | Puffin | |
| RP13 | Lear | |
| RP14 | Othello | |
| RP15 | Orphelia | |
| RP16 | Romeo & Juliet | |
| RP17 | Tempest | |
| RP18 | Dream | |
| CR1 | Doubletummy | |
| CR2 | Hedgehogs | |
| CR3 | Crows | |
| ML1 | Popeye | |
| ML2 | Olive Oil | |
| ML3 | Wimpy | |
| SP1 | Jail the first stone | |
| FP1 | Sleeping Beauty | |
| FP2 | Thumbalina | |
| FP3 | Dawnpiper | |
| FP4 | Big Deal Dame |
References
Michael Organ
Last updated: 6 January 2016
I am desperately looking for catalog information on Big O posters like this, but from a later time period ... Roger Dean's mid 1970s posters. Do you know if this is available anywhere?
ReplyDeleteI own 19 of these posters. I think there's another 8 out there, but I've never seen a full listing.
Thanks!
Rhea - contact me on morgan@uow.edu.au and I will see if I can be of assistance. Michael
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