Gered Mankowitz Archive Auction Features Rare Eurythmics and Tourists Treasures
Gered Mankowitz Archive Auction Features Rare Eurythmics and Tourists Treasures
For more than six decades, Gered Mankowitz has been responsible for some of the most recognisable images in popular music. From his groundbreaking photographs of Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones through to portraits of Kate Bush, Duran Duran, Oasis and Eurythmics, his work has helped shape how generations of music fans remember their heroes.
Now, a remarkable collection drawn directly from the personal archives of Gered and Julia Mankowitz is set to go under the hammer at Gardiner Houlgate in Wiltshire on 7 September. The auction, titled The Julia & Gered Mankowitz Archive Collection, features more than 250 lots including signed photographs, artist proofs, promotional material, books, cameras, vinyl records and unique photographic artefacts accumulated throughout an extraordinary career.
The sale has already attracted national attention, with the BBC highlighting the collection as one of the most significant music photography auctions in recent years. As Gered and Julia prepare to downsize their home and move from Cornwall to Wales, many pieces that have remained in their private collection for decades are now becoming available to collectors for the very first time.
For Eurythmics fans, the auction includes several fascinating and highly desirable items that document both Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart's early years and their rise to international success.
Presented below are the Eurythmics and Tourists-related lots exactly as listed in the auction catalogue.
Lot 26
Eurythmics 'Revenge' portrait, 1986, printed later, Focus edition experimental liquid emulsion print, signed by the artist in pencil and with embossed archive stamp to the lower right, framed 22.25 x 29.25"
A unique experimental photo-painting created using liquid emulsion on paper, based on Gered Mankowitz's iconic photograph used as the inspiration for the cover of Eurythmics' Revenge album. Produced as an exploration of alternative photographic printing techniques, this work re-interprets one of Mankowitz's most celebrated images in a distinctive artistic format Gered Mankowitz's Focus Edition prints were published as limited editions of 50, with Mankowitz retaining one example from each edition for his personal archive. They were exhibited at The Focus Gallery on Museum Street in Bloomsbury, London, held between May and June 2000
Lot 64
Eurythmics 'Revenge', 1986, printed later, unique photogravure test print, signed by the artist and inscribed 'Test' to the lower margin, 10 x 8"
A unique test print on paper featuring Gered Mankowitz's iconic photograph used as the inspiration for the cover of Eurythmics' Revenge album. Produced as an experimental proof to explore the photogravure printing process Photogravure is a photomechanical intaglio printing technique in which a photographic image is transferred onto a copper plate and chemically etched to create recessed areas that retain ink. Long regarded as one of the finest methods of photographic reproduction, it is celebrated for its exceptional tonal richness and depth. The process was invented by Karl Klič in Austria in 1879
Lot 65
The Eurythmics studio portrait, 1980, printed later, pigment black and white test print, signed by the artist and inscribed Print Test to the lower margin, also with embossed archive stamp, 16.75 x 16.5"
A print test featuring an image from Gered Mankowitz's first studio session with Eurythmics
Lot 66
The Eurythmics, 1980, promotional print, signed by the artist in pencil to the lower right and with embossed archive stamp to the lower left, 17.75 x 12.5"
A promotional print featuring an image from Gered Mankowitz's first studio session with Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart following the dissolution of The Tourists. Captured at the beginning of their partnership as Eurythmics, the photograph documents a pivotal moment in the duo's career and marks the start of Mankowitz's association with one of the most influential acts of the 1980s
Lot 67
The Tourists - Annie Lennox 'The Bride', 1979, printed later, chromogenic print, signed by the artist and inscribed P/P to the lower margin, also with embossed archive stamp, 24 x 20"
A print test featuring a portrait of Annie Lennox taken after Gered Mankowitz's 1979 photo session with The Tourists
Lot 68
The Tourists Annie Lennox 'The Bride', 1979, printed later, chromogenic print, signed by the artist and inscribed P/P to the lower margin, 12 x 10"
A print test featuring a portrait of Annie Lennox taken after Gered Mankowitz's 1979 photo session with The Tourists
Lot 69
The Tourists Reality Effect, 1979, Logo Records promotional album poster, signed by the artist in silver pen and with embossed archive stamp to the lower left, 20 x 12"
A Rare Opportunity for Collectors
What makes these lots especially appealing is that they represent several distinct eras of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart's creative journey. The Tourists material captures Annie shortly before the formation of Eurythmics, while the 1980 studio portraits document the earliest days of a partnership that would go on to revolutionise pop music during the decade ahead.
The Revenge pieces are equally significant. Gered's photography played a major role in defining the visual aesthetic of the band during the mid-1980s, and these unique test prints and experimental works reveal how iconic images could evolve beyond their original commercial purpose into stand-alone works of art.
For long-time Eurythmics collectors, opportunities to acquire material directly from Gered Mankowitz's own archive are exceptionally rare. The combination of provenance, historical importance and the enduring popularity of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart means these lots are likely to attract strong international interest when bidding opens in September.
Whether bidders are dedicated Eurythmics fans, collectors of music photography, or admirers of Gered Mankowitz's extraordinary body of work, this auction offers a fascinating glimpse into the visual history of one of Britain's most influential musical partnerships.
The Julia & Gered Mankowitz Archive Collection will be auctioned by Gardiner Houlgate on 7th September 2026 in Corsham, Wiltshire. The sale includes over 250 lots spanning music photography, memorabilia, books, vinyl records and personal archive material from the career of one of Britain's most celebrated photographers.
