The original tracing for the artwork to Led Zeppelin’s debut album has been sold for a cool £260,500.
The iconic artwork was put designed by revered artist George Hardie, and was paid just £60 in 1969 to produce a version of Sam Shere’s image of the Hindenburg Airship on fire in 1937. Hardie marked tracing paper with small black dots to create an image similar to a low-resolution newsprint photo.
The single sheet of tracing paper was stored away in a drawer by Hardie, but seemingly forgot about it for decades. Over 50 years later it has become one of the most famous pieces of artwork in rock ‘n’ roll history, and has now been auctioned for six figures at a Christies sale.
“It was unsullied, in a clean folder on which one of my partners had written years ago, ”G’s pension fund’,” said Hardie in a statement. “I think the drawing made a good and memorable cover, but this was more to do with the photograph and Jimmy Page’s choice of it than with my skill as a dotter.”
Hardie would also go on to draw the artwork for Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of The Moon in 1970, which was then designed by Storm Thorgerson and Hipgnosis.
Need gift ideas? Roy and Luke are here to help! WhatsApp us or use eil.com website live Chat, call 01474 815 010 or email sales@eil.com and if you have any items to sell, please call us on 01474 815099
eil.com – the world’s best online store for rare, collectable and out of print Vinyl Records, CDs & Music memorabilia since 1987
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin - 7th - UK - vinyl LP - £45.00, $58.05, €53.10 (New Item) (arrived 07-Apr-2025 16:00)
LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin (70s UK seventh issue of the debut 1969 9-track LP on the green & orange label with 'Made In UK' label print & A1/B3 machine stamped matrices, fully laminated picture sleeve with orange lettering printed by MacNeill Press & distributed by WEA Records print. The sleeve shows minimal wear & the vinyl appears barely played K40031) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II - 4th - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £35.00, $45.15, €41.30 (New Item) (arrived 03-Apr-2025 16:00)
LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin II (70s UK fourth issue 9-track stereo LP on the orange & green Atlantic label, with 'Killing Floor' credit on label but 'The Lemon Song' on the gatefold picture sleeve. The sleeve shows some light shelf wear scuffing & is otherwise Excellent whilst the vinyl is clean & grades Excellent with a few faint paper scuffs not affecting play K40037) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV - 180gm - UK - vinyl LP - £25.00, $32.25, €29.50 (New Item) (arrived 01-Apr-2025 16:00)
LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin IV (2014 UK/EU audiophile issue of their classic 1971 8-track LP pressed on 180gm Vinyl, newly remastered by guitarist & producer Jimmy Page. Comes housed in a deluxe gatefold picture sleeve reproducing the original album artwork with Zeppelin hologram on the back, with the album credit insert. The sleeve shows some light wear in the bottom left corner but the vinyl appears barely played) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II - 180gm - Stickered - UK - vinyl LP - £21.99, $28.37, €25.95 (New Item) (arrived 01-Apr-2025 16:00)
LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin II (2014 UK/EU issue of the classic 1969 9-track LP pressed on 180gram Vinyl, newly remastered by guitarist & producer Jimmy Page, housed in a deluxe gatefold picture sleeve reproducing the original album artwork with the hype sticker on the front & Zeppelin hologram on the back. The sleeve shows minimal wear & the vinyl is Near Mint) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- Led Zeppelin - In Through The Out Door - 1st F - Complete - UK - vinyl LP - £175.00, $225.75, €206.50 (New Item) (arrived 03-Apr-2025 09:17)
LED ZEPPELIN In Through The Out Door - 1st F - Complete (1979 UK 7-track vinyl LP, the last release by Led Zep before the death of John Bonham in 1980, complete with unused 'magic wash' illustrated credits inner, 'F' variant picture sleeve in the original customprinted brown paper outer. The sleeve shows just a little light shelfwear & the vinyl remains in excellent condition with few signs of play SSK59410)
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II - 4th - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £35.00, $45.15, €41.30 (New Item) (arrived 03-Apr-2025 11:07)
LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin II (70s UK fourth issue 9-track stereo LP on the orange & green Atlantic label, with 'Killing Floor' credit on label but 'The Lemon Song' on the gatefold picture sleeve. The sleeve shows some light shelf wear scuffing & is otherwise Excellent whilst the vinyl is clean & grades Excellent with a few faint paper scuffs not affecting play K40037) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti - 2nd - EX - UK - 2-LP vinyl set - £150.00, $193.50, €177.00 (New Item) (arrived 03-Apr-2025 11:22)
LED ZEPPELIN Physical Graffiti (1975 UK second issue 15-track double LP with Warner Brothers logos on label, with thick card inners and card tracklisting insert, superb die-cut picture sleeve with 'Sleeve printed and made in England by GothicPrint Finishers' and '484 Kings Road' address credits. One of LZ's most diverse and challenging records, featuring household classics like Kashmir and lesser played gems such as The Wanton Song. The sleeve shows just a little light shelfwear with a glimpse of foxing to insert and the vinyl remains in Excellent condition with few signs of play SSK89400) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV - Lilac Vinyl - Stickered - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £175.00, $225.75, €206.50 (New Item) (arrived 03-Apr-2025 11:30)
LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin IV (Rare 1978 UK limited edition issue of the classic 1971 8-track LP pressed on Lilac Vinyl, housed in a gatefold picture sleeve complete with the album credits inner and hype-stickered front. The sleeve shows minor edgewear, the fragile inner, which is easily prone to damage, shows a tiny seam split whilst the vinyl is in Excellent condition with few signs of play K50008) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains The Same - 1st - VG+ - UK - 2-LP vinyl set - £35.00, $45.15, €41.30 (New Item) (arrived 03-Apr-2025 14:54)
LED ZEPPELIN The Song Remains The Same (1976 UK first press 9-track double LP on the Swan Song label, printed with the publishing credits below the catalogue number all in small text. Housed in the original textured & embossed gatefold picturesleeve with integral booklet & plain black inners. The packaging shows some edge scuffing and ringwear, whilst the vinyl is clean & grades Excellent with just some light paper hairline scuffs not affecting play SSK89402)
- Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti - 2nd - EX - UK - 2-LP vinyl set - £150.00, $193.50, €177.00 (New Item) (arrived 03-Apr-2025 16:00)
LED ZEPPELIN Physical Graffiti (1975 UK second issue 15-track double LP with Warner Brothers logos on label, with thick card inners and card tracklisting insert, superb die-cut picture sleeve with 'Sleeve printed and made in England by GothicPrint Finishers' and '484 Kings Road' address credits. One of LZ's most diverse and challenging records, featuring household classics like Kashmir and lesser played gems such as The Wanton Song. The sleeve shows just a little light shelfwear with a glimpse of foxing to insert and the vinyl remains in Excellent condition with few signs of play SSK89400) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
Be the first to comment