Original Album Cover Artwork for Elton John's Madman Across the Water (1971) by Designer Dav...

Description

THE ORIGINAL ALBUM ARTWORK FOR THE LANDMARK ALBUM WHICH INTRODUCED THE WORLD TO "TINY DANCER"

Original Album Cover Artwork for Elton John's Madman Across the Water (1971) by Designer David Larkham. Original artwork for the Platinum-selling Elton John album Madman Across the Water, owned for years by Elton himself, together with a collection of original designs for the album's 1971 booklet and press advertisement. The original artwork used for the 1971 LP front cover art was originally a denim jacket belonging to art director and sleeve designer David Larkham, with embroidered lettering added by his wife at the time, Janis. The jacket detail was photographed and used for the album front cover art, and subsequently gifted to Elton John. Elton later had the denim re-fashioned into a cushion with blue piping and zipper on the bottom, at which time the track listing was embroidered on the back. Measuring 14" x 13.5" x 5" overall. Provenance: The Elton John Collection, Sotheby's London, September 6, 1988, Lot 104 (illustrated); Acquired from this auction by Gus Dudgeon, producer of Madman Across the Water; Acquired directly from Gus Dudgeon's estate by the current owner in 2002. Literature: Madman Across the Water 50th Anniversary Vinyl Boxset booklet, p. 23 (illustrated). Exhibits very light fading to the denim consistent with age, minimal loose threading including to the bottom left of the 'J' in 'John'. Together with (8) original artwork designs for the 1971 album's booklet, collage on Artekone fine pen board by Cowling & Wilcox Ltd. Each measuring 15" x 13", one for each of pages 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, and 11. Each with design annotations including a spell correction to Bernie Taupin's wife's name "Maxine" on page 3 ("Tiny Dancer"). Literature: Madman Across the Water 50th Anniversary Vinyl Boxset booklet, p. 21 (page 2 design illustrated). Exhibits very light curling to collage pieces consistent with age and design; (1) Original artwork design for a press ad for the same album, collage on trimmed Artekone fine pen board by Cowling & Wilcox Ltd. Measuring 12" x 15.75". With annotations including that the ad was intended for New Musical Express magazine, this ad was also published in Sounds magazine in 1972; (1) Madman Across the Water 50th Anniversary Vinyl Boxset (Rocket/EMI, 2022), measuring 13" x 13" x 1.5" overall, containing a booklet illustrating the original album artwork offered in this lot; and (1) Madman Across the Water 50th Anniversary CD Boxset (Rocket/EMI, 2022), measuring 9.75" x 10" x 1.5" overall. Comes with a COA from Heritage Auctions.

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