Marc Bolan T. Rex — Original Vintage 1970s 8×10 Photograph

Description

A wonderfully intimate photograph of Marc Bolan during the great T. Rex years, far removed from the glitter, satin and flamboyant stage clothes that came to define his public image. Bolan stands against an almost completely black background, cigarette in hand (?), wearing rings, necklaces and a striped vest, with a single bare bulb seemingly suspended above his head. It’s a terrific portrait—quiet, slightly strange and unmistakably of the early 1970s. By then Bolan had transformed T. Rex into one of Britain’s biggest bands; Electric Warrior reached number one in 1971, and his appearance and performances helped define the emerging glam-rock movement.

There is no photographer’s credit, caption or stamp on the verso, and despite considerable searching I have not been able to locate this exact image or establish its original context. Period photographic archives document Bolan extensively from 1971 through 1974, including portraits by Keith Morris and Chris Walter, but until evidence surfaces I’m leaving both photographer and exact date unidentified. What remains is a compelling vintage image of one of rock & roll’s most visually distinctive figures, captured during the era of Electric Warrior, The Slider and Tanx.

A striking original vintage photograph of Marc Bolan—and an image I haven’t been able to find reproduced elsewhere.