01/09/2023
A fully signed Led Zeppelin album sleeve went under the hammer for £15,000 in our Music, Vinyl & Memorabilia auction on Thursday 31st August, achieving more than eightfold its pre-sale estimate of £1,200 - £1,800. The result was made all the more striking by the fact that the record was not included, only the sleeve and inner sleeve were present.
The sleeve of the 1973 album ‘Houses of the Holy’ was signed by all four members of Led Zeppelin; Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and most significantly, the drummer John Bonham. Due to the death of Bonham aged just 32 in 1980 and the band’s subsequent split, items signed by all four band members are extremely rare, with fewer than 30 signed copies of Led Zeppelin albums thought to exist.
The vendor acquired the signatures during a chance encounter at Gatwick Airport in 1977, when the band were returning to the UK for a break during a tour of America.
“We were thrilled to achieve this rare set of Led Zeppelin autographs fifty years on from the original release of ‘Houses of the Holy’,” comments Gildings’ music and memorabilia specialist, Andrew Smith. “Thanks to the extreme rarity of full sets of the band’s signatures, this ‘Houses of the Holy’ album cover represented a holy grail for collectors determined to own this very special piece of music memorabilia. The bidding did become more hesitant after hitting the £10,000 mark, but in the end a telephone bidder triumphed over the fierce competition online.”
Despite missing its vinyl record, the price achieved for the album sleeve is believed to be a record a for signed copy of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Houses of the Holy’, the fifth studio album by the band and one that divided opinion among fans and critics on its release.
“This outstanding result is testament to the value attached to fully signed Led Zeppelin memorabilia and the general strength of the market for autographed items,” adds Andrew. “With this set of signatures coming from a chance meeting with the band members, it just goes to show that in this day and age if you spot a celeb, you should ask for an autograph, not a selfie!”
Other items in the auction included a single-owner David Bowie vinyl collection, which achieved a total hammer price of over £7,200. A copy of Led Zeppelin’s album, ‘The Song Remains The Same’, signed by Jimmy Page, sold for £420.
The full auction catalogue can be found here
Those with similar music or other memorabilia they are interested in selling can arrange a valuation at VALUATIONS or by calling our team for an appointment on 01858 410 414
