
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 II - 7th - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £25.00, $30.75, €29.00 (New Item) (arrived 27-Jun-2022 10:56)
LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin II (1970s UK seventh issue of the 1969 9-track stereo vinyl LP on a green & orange Atlantic label with the 'W' Warner logo, 'The Lemon Song' sleeve & label credit. The sleeve displays just a little light general wearandthe vinyl has only light signs of play, an excellent example of this classic album K40037)
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III - 1st - UK - vinyl LP - £495.00, $608.85, €574.20 (New Item) (arrived 24-Jun-2022 05:12)
LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin III (Rare 1970 UK first press 10-track stereo LP on the plum & red Atlantic label with Peter Grant label credit below the album title, 'Do What Thou Wilt' / 'So Mote It Be' hand-scratched into the run-outs, die-cut laminated gatefold picture sleeve with the unusual front panel top & bottom opening [later issues discarded this]. The sleeve shows only the lightest signs of shelfwear & the vinyl remains near 'as new' with few signs of play - A fantastic copy ofa remarkable rock essential which continues to stand the test of time!)
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV - 1st - US - vinyl LP - £50.00, $61.50, €58.00 (New Item) (arrived 17-Jun-2022 14:29)
LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin IV (1971 US first issue 8-track Atlantic green & dark orange label stereo LP, the fourth album by the English rock band including their best known song Stairway to Heaven along with Black Dog, Rock & Roll and The Battle Of Evermore featuring amazing guest vocals from Sandy Denny; gatefold picture sleeve with lyric/tracklisting printed inner sleeve. The sleeve on this copy has only a few minor signs of storage wear and the inner displays just a couple of smalldiscoloured areas. The vinyl is excellent with only a couple of hairline marks to show for its 51 years SD7208)
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV - barcoded - German - vinyl LP - £25.00, $30.75, €29.00 (New Item) (arrived 18-Jun-2022 11:10)
LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin IV (Late 80s German issue of the classic 1971 8-track LP, glossy barcoded gatefold picture sleeve with album credits inner. The sleeve shows minimal wear & the vinyl appears seldom played K50008)
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin - German - vinyl LP - £25.00, $30.75, €29.00 (New Item) (arrived 23-Jun-2022 10:16)
LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin (Early 80s German issue of the classic 1969 9-track vinyl LP, with 'Dazaed' mispelling, glossy picture sleeve with no barcode on the reverse. The sleeve shows minimal shelfwear & the vinyl shows little evidence of play ATL40031)
- Led Zeppelin - In Through The Out Door - 1st F - Complete - German - vinyl LP - £95.00, $116.85, €110.20 (New Item) (arrived 23-Jun-2022 10:38)
LED ZEPPELIN In Through The Out Door (1979 German 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 custom printed brown paper outer. The sleeve shows just a little light shelfwear & the vinyl displays some minimal cosmetic markings but overall remains in excellent condition with few signs of play SS59410)
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II - 200gm Quiex - US - vinyl LP - £175.00, $215.25, €203.00 (New Item) (arrived 24-Jun-2022 04:56)
LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin II (2005 US Audiophile issue of the classic 1969 9-track LP pressed on 200gm QUIEX SUPER VINYL, mastered from the original master tapes to create the ultimate audiophile listening experience, high quality gatefold picture sleeve reproducing the original album artwork. The sleeve shows minimal shelfwear & the vinyl is flawless SD8236)
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin Three - South African - vinyl LP - £125.00, $153.75, €145.00 (New Item) (arrived 24-Jun-2022 05:06)
LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin Three (Rare 1970 South African 10-track LP on the orange Atlantic label, UK printed working wheel die cut gatefold picture sleeve. The sleeve shows just a little light shelfwear & the vinyl remains in wonderful condition with few signs of play ATR9280)
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III - Barcoded - German - vinyl LP - £30.00, $36.90, €34.80 (New Item) (arrived 24-Jun-2022 05:08)
LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin III (90s German issue of the 1970 10-track LP with 'K50002' catalogue number on the label, fully laminated barcoded die-cut gatefold picture sleeve with rotating wheel. The sleeve shows just a little light shelfwear &the vinyl remains in great condition with few signs of play ATL50002)
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III - 1st - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £395.00, $485.85, €458.20 (New Item) (arrived 24-Jun-2022 05:17)
LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin III (Rare 1970 UK first issue 10-track stereo LP on the plum & red Atlantic label with Peter Grant label credit, 'Do What Thou Wilt' & 'So Mote It Be' hand-scratched into the vinyl run off areas & fully laminated die-cut gatefold picture sleeve with working rotating wheel) See 'More Info' for further details ...
Be the first to comment