Ms. Alice Giblin became closely associated with the Grateful Dead organization around 1975 after joining the band’s business office in San Rafael, California. Through her work and personal friendships within the organization, she developed strong relationships with key figures including Jerry Garcia and Owsley Stanley, also known as “Bear.”
Alice assisted Garcia with various personal and household matters, including property searches, coordinating contractors, and managing day-to-day affairs. During this time, Garcia gifted her a number of personal items and pieces of artwork, many of which she carefully preserved for decades.
She also worked closely with Owsley Stanley after his move to Australia in 1982, representing and distributing his handcrafted jewelry and artwork in the United States. Stanley, widely recognized for designing the Grateful Dead’s legendary “Wall of Sound” and creating the iconic “Steal Your Face” imagery, entrusted Alice with helping share his work with American collectors and fans.
In addition to her work behind the scenes, Alice hosted a weekly Grateful Dead radio hour on Berkeley public radio station KPFA, sourcing recordings from the band’s Front Street Studio vault in San Rafael. Her close connection to the Grateful Dead community also led to personal friendships with notable collaborators including Merl Saunders and John Kahn, both of whom are represented in photographs and memorabilia from her collection.
The items offered from the Alice Giblin collection reflect her unique personal connection to the Grateful Dead and the extended musical community that surrounded the band during its most influential years.
