Rolling Stones Unreleased 'Beggars Banquet' and 'Rock and Roll Circus' Album Slicks

This lot features a rare pair of original printer’s proofs depicting proposed cover art for two landmark Rolling Stones projects: Beggars Banquet and Rock and Roll Circus.

The Rolling Stones finished recording Beggars Banquet in July 1968, but the album met an unexpected delay when both Decca Records and London Records rejected the cover design, which featured a graffiti-covered lavatory. The Stones held back the album in a standoff that lasted until November, when the band agreed to a less controversial design. This proof offers a rare glimpse into the visual concept behind one of the Stones' most iconic albums.

The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus was to contain tracks from a circus-themed live concert, recorded in December of 1968 which featured performances by The Rolling Stones, The Who, Jethro Tull, Taj Mahal, and a one-time supergroup billed as The Incredible Dirty Mac which included John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, and Mitch Mitchell. A film of the event as well as a corresponding album were scheduled to be released as a promotion for the release of the Stones' studio album Beggars Banquet, but due to various circumstances, including the death of Brian Jones in 1969, the project was shelved and not officially released until almost 30 years later.

Together, these printer’s proofs provide an extraordinary window into the band’s creative vision during a defining period in rock history, offering collectors both historical significance and visual intrigue.