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.
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- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II - 3rd - VG - UK - vinyl LP - £50.00, $69.00, €59.50 (New Item) (arrived 08-Oct-2021 14:16)
LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin II (1970 UK third press 9-track LP on the plum & red Atlantic label with Lemon Song credited as Killing Floor, light brown gatefold picture sleeve. The sleeve shows a little shelfwear commensurate with its age, with some light edge scuffing and general wear. The vinyl remains in VG+/EX- condition with just light surface scuffs to show for its fifty years. Also (exclusive with this copy) are pages from The Observer, 18 May 1975, with an article/interview by Tony Palmer AND a double page spread from The Sun, (June 2nd 1975) both about Zep's exploits! Although not mint, a very respectable copy of this classic rock staple at an advantageous price)
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LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin IV (2014 German pressed UK/EU limited edition 8-track remastered LP issue of their 1971 album pressed on Audiophile quality 180 Gram Heavyweight Vinyl, including Stairway To Heaven, Black Dog and Rock And Roll.The gatefold picture sleeve replicates the original artwork with a hype sticker placed on the front & holographic LZ sticker on the reverse, with the double-sided credit / lyric insert, showing very little sign of storage and the vinyl remains innear 'as new' barely played condition)
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LED ZEPPELIN The Song Remains The Same (1976 Canadian 9-track double LP, recorded live at Madison Square Gardens for the soundtrack to the movie. With 'Manufactured and Distributed by WEA Music Of Canada Ltd' label text and housed in an embossed textured gatefold picture sleeve with 8-page integral booklet and 'Printed in the USA' on the back. The sleeve is graded as VG with some notable edge scuffing and ringwear, whilst the vinyl has just the odd light surface scuff. A great play copy or collection filler, offered at an advantageous price SS2-201)
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LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin (Early 70s UK issue of the classic debut 1969 9-track LP on the green & orange Atlantic label, fully laminated picture sleeve. The cover [VG] has some age wear to the laminate with a little creasing to corners whilst thevinyl grades VG+ with only a few minor paper hairline marks to show play K40031)
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LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin III (90s German issue of the 1970 10-track vinyl LP on a green & orange Atlantic label with 'K50002' catalogue number, housed in a glossy & barcoded die-cut gatefold sleeve with rotating wheel. The sleeve shows some light edgewear, whilst the vinyl shows only light signs of play ATL50002)
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