Pink Floyd
CIA/UFO Poster
July 28, 1967
Any comments, corrections or additions to this listing would be greatly appreciated.
The Pink Floyd CIA/UFO poster is one of the best known Pink Floyd posters from the 1960s. This poster was designed by Hapshash and the Coloured Coat in July 1967 for an appearance of The Pink Floyd at the UFO Club in London, England. The name of the club, "UFO," was an abbreviation for either "Underground Freak Out" or "Unidentified Flying Object," depending on your inclination. The gatherings at the club were held late Friday nights at an underground Irish dance hall, "The Blarney Club," located off London's Tottenham Court Road.
The poster depicts a naked winged woman pulling an island through space. This represents a type of UFO or fantasy island, from which various flying machines are emerging (planes, flying saucers, dirigibles, shooting stars). On the rocky island is a city, with banners above it that say: "Night of the UFOs." The assertion of famous architect and visionary Buckminster Fuller, that we should view our planet Earth as a space craft, influenced the design of the poster. A bi-plane flying below the island is leaving a vapor trail that reads: "July 28 pink floyd."
The idea of "CIA v. UFO" as the title of the poster came to Michael English and Nigel Waymouth as a representation of the conflict between the repressive forces of the establishment, and the new underground counterculture.
This poster has had numerous printings over the years. And it has been reprinted many times. Below is a listing of the various printings.
1a) CIA v UFO original poster
Date & Venue: UFO, The Blarney Club, 31 Tottenham Court Road, London, England, July 28, 1967
Bands: The Pink Floyd
Poster Artist: Hapshash and the Coloured Coat
Poster Size: 29 13/16 x 19 7/8
PT: .0054
Printing Information: Silkscreen
Reference Number: OA 114
Notes: When this poster was first designed, artist Nigel Waymouth printed a few copies himself at his flat in London, and then at the Chelsea Art School, which was down the road from his flat.
These silkscreened posters had the following notation at the bottom left edge of the poster:
These posters were printed using a true metallic silver silk screen ink, and the colors of ink used were very bright. Since these posters were silkscreened, different layers of ink were layered on the poster, one on top of the other. While the thickness of the paper is .0054", the thickness of the poster where ink has been layered can be as much as .008" due to the thickness of the ink. You can actually see the mounds of ink on the posters if you look very closely (see the picture below of the bubbles in the top left corner of the poster, which were added as a separate layer).
Copies of this poster were pasted up by Waymouth around London to" brighten it up" according to Waymouth. As a result, some of these posters have the backs coated with a brown glue or paste:
The dimensions of these early printings vary slightly, perhaps due to the fact that they were not mass produced from standard cuts of paper.
The V & A museum in London have a copy of this poster and list the dimensions of the original printing as: 76 cm x 50.6 cm (29.92 x 19.92").
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It is important to note that the name Hapshash & the Coloured Coat is not yet listed on the posters.
Nor is the T.S.R. printing company, which is where the 3rd printings were made.
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1a2) CIA v UFO poster artwork
Notes: The original artwork used to create this poster. This artwork is for the first layer (the initial screen) of the silkscreen. The bubbles in the corners as well as other picture enhancements (such as the printing credits and silver shooting stars) were on a different screen and were layered on top of the prints of the initial screen during the silkscreen process.
1b) CIA v UFO original poster
Date & Venue: UFO, The Blarney Club, 31 Tottenham Court Road, London, England, July 28, 1967
Bands: The Pink Floyd
Poster Artist: Hapshash and the Coloured Coat
Poster Size: 29 3/4 x 19 3/4
Printing Information: Silkscreen
Reference Number: OA 114
Notes: A second printing of this poster with the name Hapshash & the Coloured Coat added at the end of the credit line:
1c) CIA v UFO poster (T.S.R. second printing)
Date & Venue: UFO, The Blarney Club, 31 Tottenham Court Road, London, England, July 28, 1967
Bands: The Pink Floyd
Poster Artist: Hapshash and the Coloured Coat
Poster Size: 29 3/4" x 19 3/4"
PT: .0062"
Printing Information: Silkscreen
Reference Number: OA 114
Notes: Since larger quantities of this poster were required for sale locally and through mail order, Hapshash sent the posters to T.S.R. printing in London. T.S.R. was a printing firm that had experience in the production of film posters. Although quantities of these posters were made by T.S.R., the first T.S.R. printings were still silkscreened.
For the T.S.R. printings, the notation at the bottom of the posters had been changed from "PRINTED IN ENGLAND" to "PRINTED BY T.S.R.":
Looking at the back of the poster, the first layer of silver ink can clearly be seen through the paper (it looks dark on the back), as the paper is fairly thin. Fibers are also visible in the paper:
It has been suggested that this poster was printed 3 times due to the limitations in print runs of silk screening. However, this is unverified.
A lot has been written about the vibrancy of the colors on the early printings of these posters. While the colors are very bright, it doesn't appear that color vibrancy is determinative of printing order, since colors vary considerably during the silkscreen process, not to mention fading over the years for those posters exposed to the light.
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Note: Copies of the silkscreened T.S.R. printings were imported into the United States by Interurban Arts, out of Cambridge, Massachusetts.
These import copies have a green "Distributed by Interurban Arts" stamp on the back of the poster:
1d) CIA v UFO poster (Yarrowstalks edition)
Date & Venue: UFO, The Blarney Club, 31 Tottenham Court Road, London, England, July 28, 1967
Bands: The Pink Floyd
Poster Artist: Hapshash and the Coloured Coat
Poster Size: 30" x 20"
Printing Information: Silkscreen with florescent red, orange, yellow, and metallic silver inks. Thick paper stock.
Reference Number: OA 114
Notes: In the fall of 1967, "Yarrowstalks" was an underground newspaper published by David Auten and Brian Zahn out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper made its way to London, where copies of the newspaper were sold at Indica Books in Southampton Row. It was here that John Dunbar and Barry Miles, the owners of Indica Bookshop, became acquainted with the people running the Yarrowstalks newspaper.
Dunbar and Miles, who ran Indica Books, also ran the Indica Gallery, a counterculture art gallery located in Mason's Yard, St. James, London, England. The Indica Gallery hosted art shows by many of the local underground artists, including Yoko Ono, and Hapshash and the Coloured Coat. And in late 1967, when John Dunbar took a leave of absence from the Indica Gallery (to travel to the Himalayas), the people from Yarrowstalks Newspaper briefly took over the Indica Gallery in his absence. During this period, it was briefly renamed the Yarrowstalks Gallery.
Yarrowstalks held a number of art shows at the Gallery while they were running it. One of the shows featured art by Londons Michael English and Nigel Waymouth, aka Hapshash & the Coloured Coat. The Gallery showing coincided with the release of their first album, called Hapshash and the Coloured Coat and the Heavy Metal Kids. Both the BBC and European television stations covered the event.
The Yarrowstalks people were so impressed with their posters that they asked and received permission to reprint some of the Hapshash posters themselves (for sale in the U.S.). A contract was signed between Brain Zahn and Hapshash And The Coloured Coat allowing a limited edition reprint of the poster. Pursuant to this contract, in late 1967/early 1968, a Yarrowstalks printing of the Pink Floyd CIA/UFO poster was printed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
These Yarrowstalks reprints were silkscreened with florescent red, orange, yellow, and metallic silver inks. But there were some issues with the printing process as they have colors that do not line up properly with the drawing (the registration is off).
The Yarrowstalks printing was done on a thick paper stock, thicker than the London printings. The size of the poster was increased to 30" x 20".
There is no printing credit/copyright line on this poster.
These printings have a Yarrowstalks stamp on the back:
1e) CIA v UFO poster (Chelsea Publishing Company)
Date & Venue: UFO, The Blarney Club, 31 Tottenham Court Road, London, England, July 28, 1967
Bands: The Pink Floyd
Poster Artist: Hapshash and the Coloured Coat
Poster Size: 34 11/16 x 23 11/16
PT: .0061"
Printing Information: Litho printing.
Reference Number: OA 114
Notes: In the early 1970s, this poster was reprinted by the Chelsea Publishing Company in the U.K. This reprint was litho printed, not silkscreened as the earlier printings were. And it does not have a true silver ink as the original silk screen poster did.
The size of this reprint was increased by one third from the size of the originals, to 34 11/16 x 23 11/16.
At the bottom left edge of the poster, it says:
And at the bottom right edge of the poster, it says:
1f) CIA v UFO poster (San Francisco Art Lab)
Date & Venue: UFO, The Blarney Club, 31 Tottenham Court Road, London, England, July 28, 1967
Bands: The Pink Floyd
Poster Artist: Hapshash and the Coloured Coat
Poster Size: 34 7/8" x 22 7/16"
PT: .0171"
Printing Information: Heavy fine art quality cardstock.
Reference Number: OA 114
Notes: In the 2000s, the San Francisco Art Lab reprinted this poster with the involvement of both of the artists, Michael English and Nigel Waymouth.
These reprints were printed at the San Francisco Art Lab with Roger Bernhardt as the printer. This printing was a limited edition of 250.
The San Francisco Art Lab reprints were printed on a heavy fine art quality cardstock.
At the bottom left edge of the printed poster, it says:
In the white border along the right edge of the poster, vertically, is printed:
The first 75 copies of this reprint were signed in pencil by both Michael English and Nigel Waymouth in the bottom white border:
The rest of these posters were signed by just Nigel Waymouth:
1g) CIA v UFO poster (Odyssey 2000)
Date & Venue: UFO, The Blarney Club, 31 Tottenham Court Road, London, England, July 28, 1967
Bands: The Pink Floyd
Poster Artist: Hapshash and the Coloured Coat
Poster Size: 33 7/8 x 22 1/8
PT: .0149
Printing Information: Silkscreen.
Reference Number: OA 114
Notes: In 2017, this poster was once again officially reproduced directly from original artwork. Under the supervision of Nigel Waymouth, a new set of signed and stamped silk screen posters were produced in conjunction with John & David Brett of Bamalama Posters in London.
This printing was a limited edition silk screen, printed by the independent printing company Odyssey 2000 in London, England.
Copies of these reprints were officially signed by Nigel Waymouth of Hapshash & the Coloured Coat.
There is a circular embossed seal in the bottom white margin of the poster where the signature is.
2a) CIA v UFO poster (U.K. 1st issue reprint)
Date & Venue: UFO, The Blarney Club, 31 Tottenham Court Road, London, England, July 28, 1967
Bands: The Pink Floyd
Poster Artists: Hapshash and the Coloured Coat
Poster Size: 29 9/16 x 19 Ύ
PT: .0047
Reference Number: OA 114
Notes: A U.K. reprint by T.S.R.
After Osiris Visions folded in 1969, T.S.R. continued to print Osiris posters in the late 1960s/early 1970s as lithograph prints (not silkscreen) with bright colors and silver colored ink.
It is unknown whether these were authorized reprints or not.
Across the bottom left edge of the poster, it says:
2b) CIA v UFO poster (U.K. 2nd issue reprint)
Date & Venue: UFO, The Blarney Club, 31 Tottenham Court Road, London, England, July 28, 1967
Bands: The Pink Floyd
Poster Artists: Hapshash and the Coloured Coat
Reference Number: OA 114
Notes: A reprint of the poster made in the U.K.
The poster is not silkscreened. Looks like a litho print.
Across the bottom left edge of the poster, it says:
This is the original printing credit, in typed font, copied from the first printing of the poster.
2c) CIA v UFO poster (U.K. 3rd issue reprint)
Date & Venue: UFO, The Blarney Club, 31 Tottenham Court Road, London, England, July 28, 1967
Bands: The Pink Floyd
Poster Artists: Hapshash and the Coloured Coat
Poster size: 29 11/16 x 19 Ύ
PT: .0049
Reference Number: OA 114
Notes: In the late 1970s, reprints of this poster turned up frequently in headshops in the U.K. These reprints were not silkscreened.
Across the bottom left edge of the poster, it says:
This is the T.S.R. printing credit, but it appears to be handwritten.
2d) CIA v UFO poster (2004 Canadian reprint)
Date & Venue: UFO, The Blarney Club, 31 Tottenham Court Road, London, England, July 28, 1967
Bands: The Pink Floyd
Poster Artists: Hapshash and the Coloured Coat
Poster Size: 17 X 11
Reference Number: OA 114
Notes: In 2004, an unauthorized reprint of this poster was made on heavy card stock. Origin: Canada.
2e) CIA v UFO poster (Los Angeles 2018 reprint)
Date & Venue: UFO, The Blarney Club, 31 Tottenham Court Road, London, England, July 28, 1967
Bands: The Pink Floyd
Poster Artists: Hapshash and the Coloured Coat
Poster Size: 24 1/16 x 16
PT: .0096
Reference Number: OA 114
Notes: A 2018 unauthorized reprint. Origin: Los Angeles.
The background has been changed to grey instead of silver and there is a white border around the outside of the print.
At the bottom of the poster, it says:
2f) CIA v UFO poster
Date & Venue: UFO, The Blarney Club, 31 Tottenham Court Road, London, England, July 28, 1967
Bands: The Pink Floyd
Poster Artists: Hapshash and the Coloured Coat
Poster Size: 18 1/16" x 12 1/16"
PT: .0093"
Notes: A 2019 unauthorized reprint of this poster.
Looks like a photocopy on glossy photo paper. The defects captured in the poster photo (glare, creases, tears) are printed on the poster. Origin: California.
At the bottom of the poster, it says:
2g) CIA v UFO poster (2021 Australian reprint)
Date & Venue: UFO, The Blarney Club, 31 Tottenham Court Road, London, England, July 28, 1967
Bands: The Pink Floyd
Poster Artists: Hapshash and the Coloured Coat
Poster Size: Printed in five sizes: A1, A2, A3, A4, A5.
Poster Size (large): 33" x 23 1/2"
PT: .0092"
Printing Information: Printed on demand on either photographic paper or canvas.
The photographic paper print is on oxygen coated gloss finish paper. Due to the size of the poster not matching the photo paper, there are black bars on either side of the print, and the credit line at the bottom of the poster has been partially cut off. The colors are not accurate on the photographic print with the yellow being almost white. Wrinkles at the top of the original copied poster are visible on the reprint.
The canvas print is on 300GSM cotton backed canvas with a three inch white border around the poster image.
Notes: A 2021 unauthorized print-on-demand reprint of this poster from Australia.
At the bottom of the poster, it says:
