This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/17/2021
Offered is an original 1966 Capitol Records poster for The Beatles LP Yesterday and Today featuring the infamous "Butcher Cover" of the lads wearing butcher smocks covered with raw meat and baby doll parts. When the albums themselves were circulated to radio stations record reviewers prior to release, there was a bit of an uproar about the artwork. The photos supplied to Capitol records from The Beatles management came from a photo shoot that the band had done in March, 1966 with photographer Robert Whitaker, which were originally intended to be used for a piece of conceptual art called “A Somnambulant Adventure.” Whitaker had no idea that he’d inadvertently created the Butcher cover!
The albums, and the offered poster, were quickly withdrawn from circulation, and a new cover was chosen for the album. Some of the sleeves were covered with new artwork on a sticker, and some were destroyed and reprinted. What was created was one of the greatest rarities in the collecting world. "Butcher Covers" are sought after in their three "states." Each indicates whether it's an album that is untouched, ie "first state", with its new cover sticker applied, ie "second state", or with the new cover sticker peeled off, ie "third state." Luckily the posters weren't given the same treatment, leaving us with this gorgeous example! This original printing is devoid of any of the tell-tale marks of later bootlegs, such as the blue blemish to the right of the word Yesterday in the title. And the word "INCREDIBLE" si bright red ink, and the Capitol logo at the bottom is in bold, black ink, both as they should be on originals. The poster measures 18 x 22 inches and presents in stunning Near Mint to Mint condition.