The original artwork, by George Hardie, which featured on the front page of the legendary band’s self-titled album is among the memorabilia to be sold under the hammer.
- May 10, 2020
AceShowbiz – The original artwork for the cover of Led Zeppelin‘s 1969 self-titled debut album will be auctioned off next month, June 2020.
The cover was designed by George Hardie and based on photographer Sam Shere‘s famous 1937 photograph of the Hindenburg disaster, depicting a Zeppelin erupting into flames.
The piece is estimated to fetch between $20,000 and $30,000 and senior specialist of the Books and Manuscripts department at auction house Christie’s, Peter Klarnet, told Rolling Stone, “In terms of rarity, this is a unique object – I don’t think you can get rarer than that.”
Hardie designed the piece while he was a graduate student at the Royal College of Art in London after his friend, the photographer Stephen Goldblatt, had recommended him to the rockers.
The band reportedly paid Hardie just $75 for his work and he went on to design album covers for bands including Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, and Wings.
“The historical significance of this album cover cannot be understated,” Klarnet added. “It marked a major turning point in the history of pop music, heralded by the debut of Led Zeppelin. It was louder, bolder than what had come before and would come to define the shape of hard rock for generations.”
“This simple rendering of the Hindenburg exploding over Lakehurst stands as a monument to that important historical moment. And the image has endured in a way that most other album covers have not – it very much has taken on a life of its own.”
The auction takes place from June 2 to 18, 2020.
Source: Music - aceshowbiz.com
