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Prototype glass plate hologram created during the production of the holographic cover artwork for Prince's acclaimed 13th studio album, Diamonds and Pearls, 8.75 x 8.75, which depicts Prince alongside dancers Lori Werner and Robia LaMorte – better known as Diamond and Pearl. The prototype consists of two pieces of glass sandwiched together; the bottom piece features a silvered border around the hologram image, and a black sheet of cardstock has been laid over the top piece, with a window excised to reveal the image below. In very good to fine condition, with scattered marks and pitting to the silvered surface, the latter likely due to the production process.
Accompanied by a signed letter of authenticity from Jeff Gold, the owner of Recordmecca and a former executive vice president/general manager of Warner Bros. Records, who worked closely with Prince during the 1990s and served as art director for numerous album covers, including Diamonds & Pearls, Love Symbol, and The Hits/The B-Sides. The letter reads: “This glass plate prototype hologram, likely one of two produced, was made during the production of the hologram used on the Diamonds and Pearls CD cover…Prior to the manufacture of millions of holograms for the album cover, I received an identical glass plate hologram for my and Prince’s approval. This second prototype, the only other one known to exist, was sold to a Los Angeles area record store, undoubtedly by an employee of the company that produced the holograms. It is exactly the same as the prototype Prince approved for me at Larrabee Studios in West Hollywood (Prince was astounded by the hologram, later writing me a rare thank you note for the ‘cool cover’).”
Released on October 1, 1991, Diamonds and Pearls marked Prince's first album with the New Power Generation and became one of the greatest commercial successes of his career, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and producing the No. 1 hit single ‘Cream,’ along with such enduring favorites as ‘Gett Off’ and the title track. Its innovative cover featured what is widely recognized as the first mass-produced hologram incorporated into commercial album packaging, a groundbreaking achievement in music and graphic design. Created during the development of that cover and accompanied by provenance from the project's own art director, this original glass prototype represents an exceptionally rare production artifact from one of Prince's most celebrated albums and one of the most innovative packaging designs of the CD era.
