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Ended

Cover to Cover

The Gary Burden Archive
20 – 30 June 2025

"Gary didn't just design covers—he understood the music, the moment, and the people. He made our work look like it felt."
- Jackson Browne

Gary Burden (1933–2018)
Since the late 1960s, Gary Burden has been one of the most influential figures in the visual history of popular music, revolutionising album cover design and shaping the aesthetic of a generation. As a pioneering art director and designer, Burden brought depth, intimacy, and storytelling to the packaging of records, transforming them into cultural artefacts. Through long-standing collaborations with legendary artists—including Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, the Eagles, The Doors, and Crosby, Stills & Nash—Burden created some of the most memorable and era-defining album covers of all time.

"Gary Burden was the greatest album cover art director in the world. I am so thankful for the body of work we created together. He made it all worthwhile."
- Neil Young

Drawing from his deep roots in the Laurel Canyon artistic community and the counterculture ethos of the 1960s and '70s, Burden's covers reflected a spirit of authenticity and experimentation. His close creative partnership with rock photographer Henry Diltz gave rise to a uniquely warm, documentary-style visual language—one that continues to influence album art and graphic design today.

This auction presents a rare and extraordinary opportunity to acquire original mechanicals and concept designs from an artist whose vision helped define not just how we hear music, but how we see it. Each piece offers a tangible connection to a golden era of rock history, and to the man who gave it its unmistakable visual identity.

Auction highlights

Lot gallery

115 lots available

Gary Burden's Personal & Working Sketchbook 2 and Sketchbook 3 featuring designs for Mama Cass, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Steppenwolf, Three Dog Night, Donovan, The Turtles, Dove Records, Miami Pop Festival, and Richard Pryor, Gary Burden (American, 1933-2018), circa 1968-1969, 2

The Mamas & the Papas/Mama Cass: A group of album proof sheets, transparencies and prints, circa 1968, Qty

Steppenwolf: A presentation award for the album Steppenwolf and a group of album cover proofs from The Second, circa 1968, 4

Victor Mosoco (Spanish, born 1936): A group of rare Neon Rose posters, 1967 & 1968, 4

Gary Burden's Personal & Working Sketchbook 4 featuring designs for Crosby, Stills & Nash' self-titled debut album, Richard Pryor, Steppenwolf, The Monkees, Dove Records and Joni Mitchell, Gary Burden (American, 1933-2018), circa 1968-1969,

Crosby, Stills, Nash / Neil Young: A group of Vintage Contact Sheets by Henry Diltz (American, born 1938) and Gary Burden, 1969-1970, 8

Crosby, Stills & Nash: Two album cover proofs for Crosby, Stills & Nash, 1969, 2

Richard Pryor: A Grammy Nomination Plaque for the Album Richard Pryor, 1969,

Crosby, Stills & Nash: Two album cover proofs for Crosby, Stills & Nash, 1969, 2

Crosby, Stills & Nash: An RIAA 'Gold' Disc Award for the Album Crosby, Stills, & Nash, 1969,

Crosby, Stills & Nash: Three album cover proofs for their debut album Crosby, Stills & Nash, 1969, 3

Gary Burden's Personal & Working Sketchbook 5 featuring designs for Neil Young, Poco, Laura Nyro, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's 'Deja Vu' album and Lookout Management, Gary Burden (American, 1933-2018), circa 1969,

The Who/Poco: An original concert poster designed by Rick Griffin, 1969,

Poco: The original album cover art by Gary Burden for their self-titled album Poco, 1970,

Poco / Eagles: A blueprint poster of the Poco + The Eagles Family Tree by Pete Frame (British, born 1942), circa 1971-1972,

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: Two album cover proofs for Déjà Vu, circa 1970, 3

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: An RIAA 'Gold' Disc Award for the Album Déjà Vu, 1970,

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: Three album cover proofs for Déjà Vu, circa 1970, 3

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: Three album cover proofs for Déjà Vu, circa 1970, 3

Crosby, Stills & Nash: An unused concept design by Gary Burden for a Double Album, circa 1970,

The Doors: A Group of Contact Sheets by Henry Diltz (American, born 1938), 1969, 9

The Doors: Two album cover proofs for Morrison Hotel, circa 1970, 2

Gary Burden's Personal & Working Sketchbook 7 featuring designs for Neil Young, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and Crazy Horse, also with original art by Rick Griffin, Gary Burden (American, 1933-2018), circa 1970,

The Doors: Two album cover proofs for Morrison Hotel, circa 1970, 2

The Doors: A group of album cover proofs for Morrison Hotel, circa 1970, 5

Rock Posters: A group of posters and books by Rick Griffin, Gary Burden and John Van Hamersveld, 1968 to present, Qty

Rick Griffin (American, 1944-1991): The El Chingadero Art Show Poster, 1971,

Joni Mitchell (Canadian, born 1943): An original still life painting gifted to Gary Burden, 1969,

Joni Mitchell (Canadian, born 1943): A handwritten postcard sent to Gary Burden from Spain, 1970,

Joni Mitchell (Canadian, born 1943): The original artwork used for the album cover for Ladies of the Canyon, 1970,

Joni Mitchell: A rare album cover proof for Blue with accompanying reel-to-reel tape, circa 1971, 2

Gary Burden's Personal & Working Sketchbook 8 featuring designs for Jackson Browne's debut album, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young, Gary Burden (American, 1933-2018), circa 1971,

Jackson Browne: The rare and original 'Water Bag' used for the debut album Jackson Browne, circa 1972,

Crosby, Stills & Nash: Four album cover proofs for 4 Way Street, circa 1971, 4

David Crosby: Three album cover proofs for If I Could Only Remember My Name and Oh Yes I Can, circa 1971, circa 1989, 3

Paul & Linda McCartney: Original photographs by Linda McCartney (American, 1941-1998) and a proof for the Ram Songbook, circa 1971, Qty

Gary Burden's Personal & Working Sketchbook 9 and Sketchbook 11 featuring designs for Leon Russell, Crazy Horse, Cass Elliot, America, The Rolling Stones, Eagles, Laura Nyro, Ned Doheny, Graham Nash, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Joe Walsh, Jackson Browne, Dan Fogelberg, and Terry Reid, Gary Burden (American, 1933-2018), circa 1971-74, 2

Eagles: Photographic prints taken by Henry Diltz (American, born 1938) for the debut album Eagles, 1972, 3

Eagles: An RIAA 'Gold' Disc Award for the Album Eagles, 1972,

Gary Burden's Personal & Working Sketchbook 10 featuring designs for America, Asylum Records stationary, Roxy, Albert Hammond, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Byrds, Eagles, Poco, Neil Young, Jackson Browne, and Graham Nash, Gary Burden (American, 1933-2018), circa 1972,

Lookout Management/The Geffen-Roberts Company: A group of stationary designs and proofs designed by Gary Burden, circa 1971, Qty

Graham Nash: Original handwritten lyrics to On The Line and a signed photograph, 1973, 2

Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young: A proof for the unreleased album Human Highway, circa 1973,

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