Radio's Aces: The Coon-Sanders Night-Hawks
Vintage Vinyl Record Album Cover (Graphic Arts) • RCA Victor Records design department (anonymous staff graphic artist)
Style & Movement
Mid-Century Modern graphic design with Jazz Age/Art Deco nostalgic influences
Medium & Technique
Offset lithography on cardboard sleeve; commercial graphic design utilizing halftone photography, typography, and vector-style line art
Creation Period
Mid-20th Century (circa 1950s-1960s based on printing style and RCA Victor label design)
Dimensions & Format
Standard LP square format (12.375 x 12.375 inches); portrait orientation for individual figures
Subject Description
The cover features portrait photographs of bandleaders Carleton Coon and Joe Sanders set within a diamond-shaped turquoise frame. The background consists of a black and white photograph depicting vintage radio vacuum tubes arranged in a storage rack, symbolizing the group's early radio success. The text provides a nostalgic blurb about 'The Jazz Age' including mentions of Tin Lizzies and Raccoon Coats.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Fair to Good; visible wear and tear along the edges and corners with some surface abrasions and discoloration consistent with age and shelf storage
Estimated Market Value
$15.00 - $35.00 (primarily for nostalgic/musical interest)
Auction Estimate
$10.00 - $25.00
Provenance History
Likely a mass-produced consumer commercial product distributed by RCA Victor; found in a secondary market/retail environment (shopping cart visible)
Art Historical Significance
Represents the mid-century revival of interest in the 'Nighthawks,' who were the first Kansas City jazz band to achieve national fame via radio. The cover art is a significant example of how record companies marketed early jazz history to a post-WWII audience.
Notable Features
Diamond-shaped centered graphic; unique juxtaposition of 1920s performers with a 1950s modernist 'atomic' aesthetic interpretation of tech (vacuum tubes); contains descriptive marketing copy of the Jazz Age era
Condition Issues
Edge fraying, corner dings, potential 'ring wear' from the vinyl record underneath, surface scuffing, and minor foxing on the cardboard substrate
Conservation Recommendations
Place in a poly-sleeve to prevent further shelf wear; store upright in a temperature-controlled environment away from direct UV sunlight to prevent further fading of the turquoise ink