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A Slight Detour from Comic Art: Where Has Original Album Cover Art Ended Up? (i.e., Derek Riggs, Ed Repka, etc)
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Started by Dr. Balls,

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Dr. Balls

Dr. Balls

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I know Heritage usually runs an original movie poster art auction from time-to-time, but I have never randomly run across an Album Art auction - and I'm not even sure what kind of art auction that would end up in. In all my years of collecting records, I've only come across one piece of album art (for sale by the original artist, and it was a super-obscure band). Ed Repka (Too many band covers to name) is still a very active illustrator and the reclusive Derek Riggs (Iron Maiden) still does some inked sketches from time-to-time.

I always wondered if some of their works ended up in the hands of collectors, or perhaps they are in the bands' archives - or perhaps with the studios (I assume depending on who paid for the art)? There's never a lot of discussion regarding the topic of 'cover art' if you're doing a retrospective on an album, so details other than one or two throwaway anecdotes is all I've ever heard in interviews. Derek Riggs has a book on his art, but I've gathered it's regarding the process and not so much where it ended up.

I'm not anywhere near the ballpark to obtain a Derek Riggs original Maiden cover, but it's always fun to dream about where they might be.

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Dr. Balls

Dr. Balls

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On 10/4/2023 at 9:58 AM, Sideshow Bob said:

A Boston cover went through Heritage a couple years ago for a healthy amount. 

That would have been something to see. Any one of the first three covers is practically iconic of that era.

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Sideshow Bob

Sideshow Bob

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On 10/4/2023 at 11:59 AM, Dr. Balls said:

That would have been something to see. Any one of the first three covers is practically iconic of that era.

https://fineart.ha.com/itm/pulp-pulp-like-digests-and-paperback-art/gary-norman-american-20th-century-boston-don-t-look-back-album-cover-1978-acrylic-and-airbrush-o/a/8030-71060.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515

Don't Look Back album cover (1978) went for $81k in April 2021. 

 

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alxjhnsn

alxjhnsn

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On 10/4/2023 at 2:22 PM, Sideshow Bob said:

https://fineart.ha.com/itm/pulp-pulp-like-digests-and-paperback-art/gary-norman-american-20th-century-boston-don-t-look-back-album-cover-1978-acrylic-and-airbrush-o/a/8030-71060.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515

Don't Look Back album cover (1978) went for $81k in April 2021. 

 

On 10/4/2023 at 10:56 AM, Dr. Balls said:

I have never randomly run across an Album Art auction - and I'm not even sure what kind of art auction that would end up in.

The Boston Cover referenced above with in an Illustration Signature Auction as you can see here (click to go to auction results):

image.thumb.png.0b19f2cab82d8e7a7de171816edf5acd.png
 

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Bronty

Bronty

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whitesnake album cover on sale now, if it tickles you.    Artist did the street fighter 2 console art as well.

https://fineart.ha.com/itm/mainstream-illustration/mick-mcginty-american-1952-2021-restless-heart-whitesnake-vinyl-album-cover-1997-watercolor-on-board-24-3-8-x-20/a/8137-71343.s?ic4=GalleryView-Thumbnail-071515

 

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Bronty

Bronty

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On 10/4/2023 at 4:00 PM, alxjhnsn said:

The Boston Cover referenced above with in an Illustration Signature Auction as you can see here (click to go to auction results):

image.thumb.png.0b19f2cab82d8e7a7de171816edf5acd.png
 

good one.   Here's Love Gun - Kiss (unpublished version)

https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/music-memorabilia/original-art/kiss-ken-kelly-large-love-gun-naked-oil-painting-from-his-original-love-gun-album-cover/a/7306-26785.s?ic4=GalleryView-Thumbnail-071515

 

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Bronty

Bronty

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Couple more.

Tupac, 200k+.

https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/music-memorabilia/original-art/riskie-forever-american-tupac-shakur-aka-makaveli-the-don-killuminati-the-7-day-theory-andlt-/a/7300-18001.s?ic4=GalleryView-Thumbnail-071515

Grateful Dead prelim

https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/music-memorabilia/original-art/grateful-dead-wake-of-the-flood-album-cover-rick-griffin-preliminary-original-art-1973-/a/7074-46302.s?ic4=GalleryView-Thumbnail-071515

 

 

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Bronty

Bronty

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Lastly, this Gerald Scarfe pink floyd piece was reported as having been sold for almost 2m, that's the biggest number I'd heard of in this genre.

"This artwork sold at our landmark exhibition in 2017 for $1.85 Million. This is a record-setting price for any original artwork from both the Rock & Roll and Film genres. "

https://sfae.com/Artists/Gerald-Scarfe/The-Scream-1981

800-scream-3_1.jpg

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alxjhnsn

alxjhnsn

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On 10/4/2023 at 3:34 PM, Bronty said:

Lastly, this Gerald Scarfe pink floyd piece was reported as having been sold for almost 2m, that's the biggest number I'd heard of in this genre.

"This artwork sold at our landmark exhibition in 2017 for $1.85 Million. This is a record-setting price for any original artwork from both the Rock & Roll and Film genres. "

https://sfae.com/Artists/Gerald-Scarfe/The-Scream-1981

800-scream-3_1.jpg

Wow! I wonder if the buyer was a fan of the artist or the band. Amazing.

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Bronty

Bronty

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That's a good one.   From the end of the article:   "Fig.2. The original framed painting  (The size of the painting is smaller than you would initially expect, namely 15" x 28" inches). It was sold for US$350.000,- at a Miami exhibit back in 2008."

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Bronty

Bronty

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I regret not bidding on this at the time, but I'm not really a fan of Little Richard.   Love the image and appreciate the artist though.

https://fineart.ha.com/itm/paintings/david-willardson-american-20th-21st-century-the-second-coming-vinyl-cover-1972-airbrush-and-gou/a/8069-71409.s?ic4=GalleryView-Thumbnail-071515

25567314%5D,sizedata%5B850x600%5D&call=u

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