Iconic images are set to rock at Bonhams' auction, later this month

Bonhams is to hold an auction entirely devoted to some of the most iconic images in rock. 

Original rock'n'roll artwork including album covers, posters and cartoons associated with musicians such as the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Johnny Cash, the Police, The Clash, Ozzy Osbourne, Journey, Richard Hell, the Ramones, Led Zeppelin, the Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd and the Sex Pistols will all be included in the sale. 

The auction will take place on Thursday March 10 in New York.

The sale includes three decades of paintings, drawings, sketches and studies, printing plates and poster sets, by some of the most influential artists in rock'n'roll art, including Rick Griffin, Stanley Mouse, Jamie Reid, Alton Kelly and Randy Tuten. New York, west coast and British musical artists all feature strongly.

Ozzy in typically unsettling form

Fans of Ozzy Osbourne will be keen to snap up the original photographic artwork for the cover of his No Rest For The Wicked album. Created by the iconic photographer Bob Carlos Clarke, more known for his highly erotic imagery, it is estimated to sell for $4,000-6,000.

Designs by Rick Griffin and Stanley Mouse feature in the sale. The late Alton Kelley has long been established as a leading name in San Francisco psychedelic rock art history. 

One of the highlights on offer from by Alton Kelley is the artwork for Journey's album Departure. Released in March 1980, this was the band's sixth album and their first one to enter Billboard's Top 10 album chart. The artwork is estimated to fetch $25,000-35,000.

Stephanie Connell, head of entertainment memorabilia at Bonhams, said: "Many of the artists whose work is included in this sale were major contributors to the look and feel of popular culture in the latter half of the twentieth century. 

"Punk, psychedelia and heavy metal are just some of the genres represented."

Investors looking for art related music memorabilia may wish to consider this piece by Pete Doherty.