The original photograph for David Bowie’s iconic ‘Aladdin Sane’ album cover has made history, selling at auction for a staggering £381,400 (approximately $497,088 USD), setting a new world record for the most expensive piece of album artwork ever sold.
The dye transfer print, which features the striking image of Bowie with the signature red and blue lightning bolt across his face, was the star lot in Bonhams’ recent online auction, “The Mona Lisa of Pop: The Duffy Archive.”
The iconic 1973 image, captured by legendary fashion and portrait photographer Brian Duffy, surpassed its pre-sale estimate of £250,000–£300,000 and easily eclipsed the previous world record, which was held by the original artwork for Led Zeppelin’s debut album.
Claire Tole-Moir, Head of Bonhams’ Popular Culture Department, commented on the significance of the sale:
“The cover of David Bowie’s Aladdin Sane is a truly iconic image by Duffy. It represents a landmark album by Bowie and a pivotal moment in Pop Culture history. We are delighted that its significance has been recognised today with a new world record price achieved at Bonhams.”
The record-setting photograph was part of a larger collection from the Duffy Archive, managed by the late photographer’s son, Chris Duffy. Other highly sought-after items from the historic 1973 photoshoot also fetched significant sums:
Original Contact Sheets: The only two surviving contact sheets from the Aladdin Sane shoot sold for £19,200.
The Stool: The actual stool Bowie sat on for the cover photograph went for £2,816.
The image, often celebrated as a defining visual of 1970s glam rock and pop culture, was the result of a single, costliest photoshoot of its time, immortalizing Bowie’s transformation into his androgynous alter-ego.
