VINTAGE 1975 Rare Candid Unpersonalised Elton John Hand-Signed David Nutter Promo 9" x 7"  Photo from Elton 's December Barbados holiday- Exceptional 70s Autograph w/ Star Flourish - COA & Lifetime Guarantee

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Since October 1998 we have been  the UK's premier dedicated place for selling premium official Elton John music and memorabilia, both new and vintage items spanning Elton's entire career to 1000's of happy fans across the globe.

We are also well known for selling authentic Elton John autographs with life time guarantee.

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We are privileged to be dealing with the disposal of the museum quality archival collection of Paul Smith ,one of the world's best known superfan's of Elton who over the last 54 years has put together an amazing collection of music and memorabilia spanning the entire career of arguably one of the most successful solo rock stars to have come out of the UK, Sir Elton John.

Over the last 54 years since becoming a fan aged 8 in 1972, Paul has been to 80 concerts across the world including two landmark concerts at Madison Square Garden , New York. Paul has personally met Elton 6 times over the years including two official EJAF events where he obtained in person autographs after brief chats with Elton.

Paul together with his two daughters, both fans, was recognised as a superfan by Elton's own management and they were chosen to appear in the official Rocket Entertainment video shot for the backdrop to Elton singing " Crocodile Rock " on the 330 date Farewell Tour, you can see a still from the video in the listing photos and you can also see a photo of Paul & Elton when they last met in February 2023.

So now the time has come as Paul reaches retirement age for him to downsize his collection and pass on the batten and give other collectors the chance to add some amazing Elton music and memorabilia to their collections.

In this listing as per the heading this is a rare one off item that has helped make Paul's collection unique over the years and now it's time to make someone else's collection special.

Over the years Paul has obtained many in person autographs at documented signings and during many of the famous stage sweeps Elton did in the late 90's to circa 2017 when he decided to stop doing them after one fan went too far at one of his Million Dollar Piano Shows.

Paul also topped up his collection with genuine autographs bought from other trusted Elton fans in his circle who were selling off and the item in this auction is one of those.

As an Elton historian through all Elton era's Paul is able to provide a COA with lifetime money back guarantee, full details below........

Item Description:

An Exceptional Piece of 1970s Rock & Roll History

Up for auction is a stunning, authentic hand-signed promotional photograph of music legend Sir Elton John. This vintage black-and-white promo portrait was captured by renowned photographer David Nutter in December 1975 during Elton's Christmas Barbados holiday. A quick internet search will authenticate the location as per a post on Elton's official website circa 2017.

David  was a prolific photographer of Elton's taking 100's of official and candid behind the scenes photographs from the early to mid 70'.

Elton: It's a Little Bit Funny: David provided the striking black-and-white photography for this classic 1977 photo-biography book, which featured a brief text accompaniment by lyricist Bernie Taupin.

The 1976 Tour: David extensively covered Elton's famous Louder Than Concorde tour with intimate photo essays.

Elton John: Icon (2025): David Nutter's historic work was recently anthologized in the career-spanning coffee table book Elton John: Icon, published by ACC Art Books. This massive retrospective places Nutter's raw, intimate 1970s portraits side-by-side with other legendary rock photographers—like Terry O'Neill and Norman Parkinson—to chart Elton's complete fashion and musical evolution.

The hand signed autograph details on this original 1975 promo photo.

Autograph Characteristics & Era Details:

This piece features a textbook example of Elton’s highly desirable mid-1970s signing style. Executed in a sharp, bold black ink, the signature displays:

His classic, rapid-slanted uppercase "E" looping seamlessly into a tight "lton".

The tall, dramatic uppercase "J" dropping below the baseline.

The Rare Flourish: Most importantly, Elton beautifully added his period-correct, stylized "star/kiss" symbol (a circle with an 'X' inside) directly beneath the signature, a flourish he reserved for peak touring eras.

The signature exhibits perfect ink flow, free-hand speed, and authentic pen pressure transitions that cannot be replicated by modern machines or prints.

1975 vintage silver gelitin print process.......

Why Silver Gelatin Was Dominant in 1975

• Black-and-White Standard: The gelatin silver print process was the primary, industry-standard medium for all black-and-white photography throughout the 20th century, used extensively by photojournalists, artists, and commercial labs.

• Peak Analog Era: By 1975, digital photography did not exist for consumer use, meaning physical chemical development in a darkroom or lab was the default for all film

Why the Silver Gelitin process matters in relation to this fine vintage print......

How It Works

The Material: Paper  is coated with gelatin containing microscopic silver halide crystals that react to light.

The Process: A photographic negative projects light onto the paper in a darkroom, recording the image.

The Development: Chemicals like a developer reveal the picture, a stop bath halts the action, and a fixer removes unexposed silver so the image becomes permanent, unlike today's digital print era.

Key Characteristics

Tonal Quality: Known for rich deep blacks, bright whites, and a smooth continuous tone.

History: Invented in the late 19th century (around the 1870s to 1880s) and became the standard medium for fine art and photojournalism throughout the 20th century.

Archival Value: Highly stable and long-lasting when properly washed and stored as is the case with this now 51 year old photograph

The authenticated mid 1970's autograph as detailed below confirms this photo was not a later digital reprint therefore matching this photo to the correct era for quality dark room developed photos using this long standing photo development process first used from the late 1800's

Provenance & Unconditional Lifetime Guarantee:

As a dedicated Elton John historian and autograph specialist Paul  has personally analyzed this piece against verified mid-70s archival exemplars.

Certificate of Authenticity: This item comes accompanied by his formal, serial-numbered Certificate of Authenticity specifying the piece's history and signing era.

The Lifetime TPA Guarantee: Paul is so entirely confident in the authentication of this signature that he offers an absolute lifetime money-back guarantee. If this item is ever submitted to a top-tier third-party authenticator (PSA/DNA, JSA, or Beckett Authentication Services) and fails to pass, a 100% full refund of your purchase price will be issued immediately upon its return. You are buying with zero risk.

Condition:

The photo is in excellent vintage condition with rich contrasts, clean edges, and no major creases or tears. Please review the high-resolution listing photographs carefully, as they form part of the condition description.

Shipping & Handling:

Will be shipped flat in an acid-free protective sleeve, sandwiched between heavy-duty rigid cardboard to guarantee it arrives in pristine condition. Tracked and insured shipping worldwide.

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any historical questions regarding this exceptional piece.

Good luck if you bid on this exceptional autograph which has been stored in archival storage conditions.

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