Request to view

This object can be requested via email from the Prints & Drawings Study Room

Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Led Zepplin III

Record Sleeve
1970 (published)
Artist/Maker
Atlantic Records (publisher)
E. J. Day Group Ltd. (printer)
Led Zeppelin (band (ensemble))
Zacron (designer)
Place of origin
United States (published)
Great Britain (published)

Cardboard gate-fold sleeve for a 12-inch long-play record of Led Zepplin's album 'Led Zepplin III'. An offset lithograph print design of fragmentary ‘scrap-book’ images, inducing viewers to ‘graze’ around a sleeve that relegates photographs of the four group members to the back. The sleeve's design features a rotating card disc. When this disc is turned by hand, a variety of motifs and portraits of the four group members become visible through the die-cut circles of the sleeve front, allowing viewers to ‘dial-up’ icons representing the interests of the group.

Object details

Categories
Labels & Packaging
Music
Object type
Record Sleeve
TitleLed Zepplin III (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Colour offset lithograph print on cardboard, with die-cutting
Cardboard
Offset Lithography
Die Cutting
Brief description
Cardboard gate-fold sleeve for a 12-inch long-play record of Led Zepplin's album 'Led Zepplin III'. An offset lithograph print design of fragmentary ‘scrap-book’ images, with an in-built rotating wheel. Designed by Zacron. Manufactured and printed by E.J. Day Group Ltd.. Published by Atlantic Recording Corp., USA. Polydor Ltd.. Great Britain. 1970.
Physical description
Cardboard gate-fold sleeve for a 12-inch long-play record of Led Zepplin's album 'Led Zepplin III'. An offset lithograph print design of fragmentary ‘scrap-book’ images, inducing viewers to ‘graze’ around a sleeve that relegates photographs of the four group members to the back. The sleeve's design features a rotating card disc. When this disc is turned by hand, a variety of motifs and portraits of the four group members become visible through the die-cut circles of the sleeve front, allowing viewers to ‘dial-up’ icons representing the interests of the group.
Dimensions
  • Height: 31.5cm
  • Width: 31.5cm
31.3 x 31.5 cm
Gallery label
(12/12/2022)
LPs could also be playful. Complex record sleeve designs allowed people to customise the cover image, like 'Some Girls' and Led Zeppelin III albums. The paper sleeve inside Sgt.. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was printed with a moustache and military epaulettes, designed to be cut out and worn. The design treatment echoes the way the album itself was an uninterrupted, complete work of art.
Subjects depicted
Portraits
Musicians
Led Zeppelin
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • Edge, Kevin. The Art of Selling Songs : Graphics for the Music Business, 1690-1990. London : Futures Publications, 1991.
  • Errigo, A., and Leaning, S.. The Illustrated History of the Rock Album. 1979. p.80 (illus.).
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.1195-1988

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdNovember 24, 2008
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O174817/led-zepplin-iii-record-sleeve-led-zeppelin/
Download as: JSON