David Bowie's Aladdin Sane could become most expensive album art ever sold

"The original image for David Bowie's Aladdin Sane album could become the most expensive album artwork ever sold when it goes under the hammer with an estimate of 300,000. The famous picture of Bowie with a lightning bolt across his face could beat the record set by Led Zeppelin's debut album artwork, which sold for $325,000 in 2020. Shot by Brian Duffy one of the terrible trio along with David Bailey and Terence Donovan who captured London as a cultural capital in the 1960s"

"The lot includes the stool Bowie sat on for the 1973 Aladdin Sane shoot, the original Hasselblad 500C camera used by Duffy and a contact sheet from the shoot, which is one of only two in existence. The original inside artwork a full-length image of Bowie as Aladdin Sane that was a centrefold for the first 5,000 records sold is also on the auction block with an estimate of 150,000 to 200,000."

"Claire Tole-Moir, Bonhams' head of popular culture, said when most people thought of Bowie it was Duffy's image that flashed in their mind's eye, and because of its status the original artwork could set a new benchmark. She said: The only other artworks at this sort of significance were the original artwork by George Hardie for Led Zeppelin's debut album and Elton John's Captain Fantastic, which made $212,500. So it's right up there."

The original Brian Duffy photograph used for David Bowie's Aladdin Sane album is estimated at 300,000 and could become the most expensive album artwork ever sold, potentially surpassing the $325,000 sale of Led Zeppelin's debut album artwork. The Duffy archive offers 35 items through Bonhams, including the stool Bowie used in the 1973 shoot, the Hasselblad 500C camera, a rare contact sheet, and the original Aladdin Sane dye transfer and full-length inside artwork estimated at 150,000–200,000. The Aladdin Sane image has been widely exhibited, including a V&A touring show that drew about 312,000 London visitors.

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