At the end of 2009 and first quarter of 2010, through an exclusive arrangement, Rick Barrett was really proud to be able to offer some incredible Led Zeppelin collectibles, many of which had NEVER appeared on the market before. Several amazing choice rarities from the personal collection of a former Swan Song Records employee were available and nearly everything found a new home with avid Zeppelin collectors!

Shelley Kaye worked in Led Zeppelin’s New York offices in the 1960’s, 70’s and early 80’s and not only saw it all…she lived it too! Shelley coordinated numerous essential projects and routine tasks, worked extensively with Peter Grant and Richard Cole, and even flew on Led Zeppelin’s plane!

Here was a YouTube video made when the sale of Shelley Kaye's amazing collectibles began:

 

1.  Shelley Kaye on the way to England in 1969.

2.  Shelley’s husband Ira and Maggie Bell at the London Swan Song office.

3.  Shelley Kaye and John Paul Jones at the Swan Song Records Party.

4.  Shelley Kaye in 1980.

5.  Shelley Kaye and husband Ira in the U.K. in the 1970’s.

6.  Led Zeppelin Road Manager Richard Cole at the London Swan Song office.

Shelley Kaye worked for Led Zeppelin from start to finish! She was there from the end of the Yardbirds  through the final Led Zeppelin shows. Preferring to stay in the background and avoid the limelight this Brooklyn, New York native worked for Steven H. Weiss, respected attorney for the band. Shelley did it all… ran the office, booked the hotels, chartered the planes, hired the limos, paid the bills and most importantly, traveled with Led Zeppelin on their plane to selected cities throughout every tour in the US and the 1980 Tour Over Europe.

While working for Zeppelin, she also administered Flames of Albion Music, the band’s publishing company. She was the logistics person who set up the opening party for the launch of Swan Song Records…even hiring swans to swim in the restaurant’s small indoor pond! (Although the swans did not cooperate!) Through it all, Shelley maintained her poise and kept her business head straight; she did what she needed to do and earned the respect of all.

Over the years she spent many dedicated hours working with Led Zeppelin and taking care of their needs, developing a close bond with Peter Grant and John Bonham. (Bonzo was Shelley’s date for the New York City premier of the movie “Woodstock”.) Shelley also made several trips to the Swan Song office in London, often times delivering master discs in person to Peter. In 1980 while on the road with the band in Europe, she toured the city of Amsterdam with Robert Plant and John Paul Jones. There are numerous stories of her adventures with the band, Peter Grant and Led Zeppelin road manager Richard Cole, who mentioned Shelley in his Stairway to Heaven book.

All of the items that were offered for sale were presented to her, and were from her personal collection; a deluxe Certificate of Authenticity signed by Shelley Kaye was  provided for each item sold. Also, click on any of the thumbnail images below to view a larger images of her incredible pieces (which have ALL SOLD)!

For many fans and collectors of not only Led Zeppelin but rock memorabilia in general, this item would fall into the exclusive “Holy Grail” category which includes only very rare, desirable, and stunning pieces that are considered part of rock history! This is an original, genuine Led Zeppelin tour jacket of which there were approximately 15 ever made, which went to the band members themselves as well as essential band management personnel; it is quite likely one of these has never before appeared on the market for sale! It is an awesome white satin bomber style jacket, lined in gold satin with maroon trim, that was specifically designed and issued  by Toby Roberts Tours, which was the airplane charter company for Led Zeppelin’s 1975 Tour. As you can see from the accompanying pictures, this distinctive piece has a Toby Roberts logo on the right front and the name “Shelley” stitched over the heart in maroon. There is an attractive gold accent at each front pocket and maroon elastic trim around the jacket’s waist and at the cuffs of the sleeves. The back simply has “Led-Zeppelin” in beautiful white lettering with maroon outline. This is an absolutely exquisite, incredible eye-catching piece that would truly enhance your collection; it is an unbelievable attention-getter! Imagine having this awesome jacket displayed in your home; it would also be perfect for getting people's attention in a public setting like an office, restaurant, store, etc. (A lot of heads would certainly turn if you chose to actually wear this jacket now and then!) It’s fairly safe to say that this will be your ONLY chance to add this gem to your collection, and the investment aspect and resale value may likely increase with time!  Was $3,000.00  NOW Just $1,999.99!  ($32.95 shipping in the U.S.)  Item has already sold.

Toby Roberts Tour Jacket  SOLD

This jacket is identical to the one listed above, with the exception of the size and the name on the front. This is a size Men’s Large which was presented to Shelley Kaye’s husband Ira (hence his name on the front over the heart) who did not work for the band, but was included in nearly everything Shelley Kaye did regarding Led Zeppelin’s touring. (Ira was never a music industry person but had a great thrill and enthusiasm for it and was held in high regard by all who met him, including the band and Peter Grant; he was always part of Shelley Kaye’s travels when possible!) So if you’re interested in owning one of the mega-rare Toby Roberts Led Zeppelin tour jackets, if you can’t own Shelley Kaye’s, then this is the next best thing!  $3,000.00  ($39.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

Led Zeppelin 1981 Tour Jacket  SOLD

This is an amazing promotional embroidered black satin bomber style jacket that was made by Electric Factory Concerts who were going to produce Led Zeppelin’s 1981 U.S. Tour, which obviously never happened due to the death of John Bonham. It has beautiful detailed five color stitching on the back with “Led Zeppelin” in yellow, orange, and red across a white Swan Song logo and “Tour 1981” beneath it in blue. This item, nor the knowledge of it has never surfaced before; it was a prototype made for consideration of further production and use, most likely in the spring of 1981. The front has a cool Electric Factory Concerts embroidered patch on the right hand side, and the name “Shelley” is stitched over the heart. It is a size Men’s 34 which  measures approximately 24” from the top of the collar to the trim along the waist, and the expandable elastic waistband is about 11” from one side to the other. This outrageously rare piece is in excellent condition and has been in Shelley Kaye’s closet since 1980!  Was $2,500.00  Now $1,999.99  ($37.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

1980 Tour Over Europe T-Shirt  SOLD

 
Here is an original grey Led Zeppelin t-shirt sold on the group’s final tour; locating another one of these could be a real trick! This size Medium (38-40…European sizing?) shirt has the band name in red above an image of an older man in a hat looking upward on the front; the words “Over Europe 1980” are near the bottom. The back has the names of 13 different European cities and dates that Led Zeppelin played during the summer of 1980; the printing is in red and black. (It also shows a July 8th show in Berlin, yet that never took place.) It is a fine piece to add to your collection; and this shirt also has lots of life left in it if you want to wear it too!  $299.99 ($13.95 shipping in the U.S.)  Item has already sold.

Promotional In Through The Out Door T-Shirt  SOLD

When Led Zeppelin’s ninth album came out in 1979, Swan Song records produced a limited number of tan t-shirts to promote sales of that release. They were given to radio and record store personnel to generate excitement about In Through The Out Door. This is one of those scarce original tan Hanes t-shirts (that has never been worn) which has the album’s logo over the heart; the back is blank. It’s a really cool piece to own or wear!  $150.00 ($7.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

1970s Led Zeppelin Silver Jacket   SOLD

This is a very cool piece from the Shelley Kaye collection that most people have never seen anywhere else before! This SUPER RARE  metallic silver jacket size XS (extra small), may be a prototype for a design that was considered yet never produced. In her own words, she writes

“This is something that possibly came from Curtis Lentz who was the t-shirt/clothing guy back in the day. It was definitely never produced except in a limited edition..maybe I've got the only one in existence! Back in the '70's, nothing was ever really put in writing about licensing so it had to be put together by someone close to Peter (Grant) to get it done.”

As shown in the accompanying images, it has “Led Zeppelin” embroidered down the right sleeve in black against an attractive red background stripe. The other sleeve has a British Union Jack patch sewn on it, and the name “Shelley” is embroidered in black over the heart. This is truly an amazing piece from the Led Zeppelin camp; it’s possible the buyer may be the only person known to have one in their personal collection!  Was $2,500.00  NOW $1,999.99  ($37.95 shipping in the U.S.)  Item has already sold.

1977 North American Tour Warm Up Suit SOLD

Only a select few received and were privileged to wear and enjoy this super rare athletic suit; imagine adding it to your collection! It is a two piece navy blue polyester warm up suit with cool with red and white trim down the arms, and around the collar and cuffs. The front of the jacket, which has a red zipper down the front, sports a round red and white logo over the heart with “Jerry Weintraub Concerts West” around the numeral “3”. The back has “Led - Zeppelin” in the familiar band name lettering; beneath it, also in red and white, is “1977 North American Tour” in block letters. This Men’s Small warm up jacket measures 27” from the top of the collar to the bottom, and the pants are 40” in length. (They have a 28” – 30” elastic waist band, and there is a draw string to tighten if necessary.) There are actually photos of John Paul Jones wearing the jacket onstage and a tour support member also wearing the jacket at the Oakland 1977 concerts! Finding another one of these warm up suits, especially with BOTH pieces, would be extremely difficult; here’s your chance to own a really cool and rare Led Zeppelin set today!  Was $2,000.00; Now $1,199.99  ($27.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

1977 Tour Swan Song Bath Robe  SOLD

When Led Zeppelin finished their three and a half hour marathon concerts in 1977, they stepped from the stage and frequently into one of these incredibly rare blue terry cloth hooded bathrobes before getting into their limousines. Only 7 or 8 of these items were ever made (you don’t get much scarcer than that!) and there is a red and white Swan Song logo patch hand sewn over the heart. This item from the Shelley Kaye collection has been in storage for over 32 years and is in excellent condition. It measures around 63” in length and is an incredible investment, collectible, and display piece!  $2,500.00  ($39.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

Original Black 1977 U.S. Tour Shirt  SOLD

Here is another genuine piece of memorabilia sold on the Led Zeppelin final tour of America; it is a size Large black t-shirt, which is a little smaller due to age, and unfortunately the shirt's label is no longer attached. There are other shirts which are similar in appearance, yet this is a rare chance to, without question, own an original 1977 Zep t-shirt!  Was $99.99  Now $49.99  ($7.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

Genuine Swansong Business Card SOLD

This is an AMAZING vintage collectible; it is an ORIGINAL business card from Shelley Kaye! It is a genuine, standard size, white business card with her name on it, along with the awesome company logo, and the address of the band’s Manhattan epicenter. Plus, Shelley Kaye will sign the back of it if desired! This is NOT a copy or a reproduction; it is her ACTUAL business card from the 1970's!  $99.99 ($4.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

1973 Concerts East Led Zeppelin Navy Blue Jacket  SOLD

This is a TERRIFIC find, that is unlikely to be seen anywhere else! It is a very rare promotional navy blue jacket from Concerts East which has the company name screened over the heart and the words Led Zeppelin on the back, all in yellow. It is an amazing piece of 1973 Led Zeppelin concert lore; only a very, very small number of these were produced for company personnel, and a few were given to members close to the band. It is likely this may be your ONLY chance to add this gem to your collection today! $1500.00 ($19.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

1975 American Tour Hockey Jersey  SOLD

Led Zeppelin released their double-LP Physical Graffiti in 1975 to both critical and popular acclaim. Physical Graffiti would hit number one on both sides of the Atlantic and a large-scale American tour was planned to support the album. Only a few of these red, white, and blue promotional hockey jerseys were produced by the concert promoter of Led Zeppelin's 1975 American Tour. Stitched in white cursive across the back is "Jerry Weintraub - Concerts West Presents," and in large, sewn-on block letters is "Led Zeppelin American Tour 1975." The front, with laces at the collar, has Zeppelin’s familiar Four Symbols on the right and a large Swan Song logo on the left. The name "Shelley" is stitched on a patch on the right sleeve. This is a terrific piece that measures approximately 30” from the shoulder to the bottom edge, and around 18” from side to side at the bottom.  Was $1,200.00; Now $799.99  ($29.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

Led Zeppelin 1975 Tour Toby Roberts Tie Dye T-Shirt  SOLD

This certainly is a “blast from the past”! It is a long sleeve tie dye t-shirt, which has an image of a blimp on the front with “Tour 75” on it, all beneath the colorful words “Led Zeppelin” in an arch beneath the neckline. The back has a what appears to be the planet Saturn with “Toby Roberts Tours” in red. It is a size Lady’s Medium and is about 23” in length from the collar to the bottom of the shirt, and the only real flaw to mention is a small spot on the blimp which is somewhat visible next to the words. This is the real thing, NOT a commemorative reprint of any kind; most shirts from that era have been worn out, misplaced, or discarded. This is an awesome Led Zeppelin collectible that’s not likely to turn up anywhere else!  $350.00  ($14.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

1975 U.S. Tour T-Shirt  SOLD

Here is a very scarce size Large tan t-shirt from the Led Zeppelin’s 1975 U.S. Tour. It has a really great iron on design with notable lettering above and below a colorful Swan Song logo. This is a very difficult shirt to locate, nearly 35 years after it was offered!  Was $199.99  Now $125.00  ($7.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

1973 Tour Concerts West Baseball Jersey SOLD

This is an INCREDIBLY RARE three color promotional baseball jersey issued by Concerts West for crew to wear on Led Zeppelin's 1973 U.S. Tour. Very few of these were produced 37 years ago, and hardly any of them have survived; this is an extremely rare tour collectible! It is size Large white (some sort of nylon or polyester type material) with blue and red trim around the neck and arms, as shown in the accompanying images. A big red Concerts West logo is on the front, while an image of a blimp with American Tour 73 text above and beneath it. Check out the image below of someone at a 1973 Zep concert wearing this same design! This item has some wear, which is to be expected from use and age, yet it is still a very nice collectible and display piece which is unlikely to surface again anytime soon! Was $499.99  Now $350.00  ($11.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

1973 Kezar Stadium T-Shirt  SOLD

San Francisco’s Kezar Stadium packed in 50,000 fans on June 2nd, 1973 to see Led Zeppelin play 2 ½ hours; listeners blanketed the football field and stands while hundreds of others heard the music for free from rooftops in the surrounding neighborhood. It was an epic moment in Zeppelin’s career that is engrained in the minds of those who were there, as well as burned into the memories of fans who had posters of Robert Plant onstage holding a dove on their walls!Besides those in attendance, Shelley Kaye has fond memories of the experience:

“We flew up from Los Angeles on Zeppelin’s plane and the limos met us and took us to the stadium. It was 80 and sunny at the airport and about 40 degrees with fog and wind at the stadium; we were all freezing! My spot to watch the shows was always on the stage on the left side next to the sound boards. Immediately after the show, we loaded back into the limos and flew back to LA! So, on my first trip to San Francisco, I was there for about 3 hours!!”

Here is a size Large green t-shirt with, as reflective of the times, a simple one color image on the front of it, created just for that specific show. The design has the word “Backstage” under the shirt’s collar with a Bill Graham and Led Zeppelin blimp pictured in the middle on the front, above “Kezar Stadium San Francisco”; all the printing is in black. This is an amazingly rare piece from that historic day…one which is surely unlikely to turn up again anytime soon, if ever!  $499.99  ($13.99 shipping in the U.S.)  Item has already sold.

Handmade Led Zeppelin Tie Dye Long Sleeve Shirt  SOLD

Here is a very unique hand-made hand painted long sleeve shirt honoring Led Zeppelin, which was given to Shelley Kaye in the 1970's (either 1975 or 1977) from someone in California; it is an exquisite one of a kind piece that surely won't be found ANYWHERE else! The artistic colorful detail is amazing; there's lots of life left in this item, making it great to collect, display, or even wear! This is a ladies size medium, yet with time looks like a small; it is a great quality piece in perfect condition. $225.00 ($8.95 shipping in the U.S.)  Item has already sold.

Limited Edition Acrylic Swan Song Records Display  SOLD

Swan Song Records had an extremely small number of these incredible acrylic displays made to commemorate the label’s success in record company circles; distribution was limited to a very few radio and related music industry personnel. The display consists of a thick clear “record” (about the size of a 45rpm disc, but much, much thicker) which has raised gold printing and grooves on it. The iconic Swan Song logo is pictured in the middle of the piece with the names of Led Zeppelin, Dave Edmunds, and Bad Company around it, going clockwise. It has a detachable wooden base included so it can be easily displayed on a desk, mantle, or shelf; this particular piece has a one-of-a-kind brass inscription plaque affirming that it was presented to Swan Song employee Shelley Kaye. For collectability, and a direct connection to Led Zeppelin, it doesn’t get much better than this!  $499.99 ($17.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

In Through The Out Door Platinum Record Award  SOLD

Here is a great looking older gold framed “floater” record award Certified by the Recording Industry Association of American (RIAA) and presented to Shelley Kaye. It has the platinum record with a terrific Swan Song label above a mini LP cover of Led Zeppelin’s In Through The Out Door with an inscription plaque to the right of it. (This format of record awards is unofficially called a “floater” award because the LP cover, which always has a white border around it, seems to “float” separately from any other elements of the presentation.) The inscription plaque commemorates the sale of more than 1,000,000 copies of the In Through The Out Door album and has a black RIAA logo next to it. It is in Very Good to Excellent Condition; it’s a really attractive collectible that would look great displayed anywhere!  $1,250.00  ($29.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

The Song Remains The Same RIAA Gold Record Award  SOLD

Here is a great looking older gold framed “floater” record award Certified by the Recording Industry Association of American (RIAA) and presented to Shelley Kaye. It has the gold record with a terrific Swan Song label above a mini LP cover of Led Zeppelin’s The Song Remains The Same with an inscription plaque to the right of it. (This format of record awards is unofficially called a “floater” award because the LP cover, which always has a white border around it, seems to “float” separately from any other elements of the presentation.) The inscription plaque commemorates the sale of more than 500,000 copies of the Song Remains The Same album and has a black RIAA logo next to it. It is in Very Good to Excellent Condition; it’s a really attractive collectable that would look great displayed anywhere! $1,200.00  ($29.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

Physical Graffiti RIAA Gold White Mat Record Award  SOLD

This is the rarest Led Zeppelin record award ever issued! About a handful of them were made, and even hardcore record award experts and collectors are always astonished to hear of its existence. The Recording Industry of America (RIAA) authorized production of white mat gold record awards beginning in the early 1960’s for albums with certified sales of more than one million dollars. In the mid-1970’s, the format and basis for awards changed, literally just days after Physical Graffiti certified gold. Just a few white mat awards of Led Zeppelin’s sixth album were ever produced, as the next version of RIAA awards came into being just after certification. (Those next kind of awards are regularly referred to as “floaters” as the LP cover appeared to be floating to the left of the inscription plaque, like the Song Remains The Same award described and shown above.) This award is presented to Shelley Kaye, one of the very few to have ever received this award, which commemorates the sale of more than one million dollars worth of Physical Graffiti albums. It has a wooden frame with a gold disc; below that is a mini-LP cover next to an engraved inscription plaque with the RIAA logo, all against a white canvas background. It is in very fine to excellent condition with no major flaws, just minor wear from age.

Opportunities to own any original Led Zeppelin “white mat” awards are very infrequent; they rarely even surface in high-end memorabilia auctions. It can only be speculated as to the whereabouts of other Physical Graffiti white mat awards; one is in the collection of an avid collector in the United States and another is owned by a hardcore fan in Japan. The rest, if they still exist, have not been on the marketplace for at least the last 10 years, and who knows if another one will ever surface. It’s quite possible that they were lost or were damaged and discarded by record industry personnel. So this is an amazing opportunity to own a very real piece of Rock and Roll history; you can have what everyone dreams about!  $5,000.00 ($64.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

Large 1980 Tour Over Europe Tour Bag SOLD

If you’re looking for an absolutely genuine artifact that was on tour with Led Zeppelin, then this is it! Here is a super rare original duffel bag that was used on the band’s very last tour, which covered 13 cities throughout Europe. This large duffel bag measures approximately 22" long and about 12" high and about 10" wide; it’s kind of barrel shaped. On one side of the tan piece of luggage is “Led Zeppelin 1980 European Tour” printed in blue in an In Through The Out Door style box. The bag zips shut and has blue handles and straps and trim.

There is some light soiling on the bag from use and travel, which actually gives it much better provenance. (It could, but from a collectible and investment perspective, should NOT be cleaned.) It appears to be made out of thick cotton (similar to cotton duck cloth) and is very sturdy. This not only was used by Shelley Kaye while she was on tour with Led Zeppelin, but it was carried by her on the supersonic jet Concorde when she flew home from London to New York City…the British Airways airline tag is still attached! This is an incredible piece to own and admire, which is also very likely to increase in value over time.  $599.99 ($19.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

Large 1980 Tour Over Europe Tour Bag SOLD
If you’re looking for an absolutely genuine artifact that was on tour with Led Zeppelin, then this is it! Here is a super rare original duffel bag that was used on the band’s very last tour, which covered 13 cities throughout Europe. This large duffel bag measures approximately 22" long and about 12" high and about 10" wide; it’s kind of barrel shaped. On one side of the tan piece of luggage is “Led Zeppelin 1980 European Tour” printed in blue in an In Through The Out Door style box. The bag zips shut and has blue handles and straps and trim.

There is some light soiling on the bag from use and travel, which actually gives it much better provenance. (It could, but from a collectible and investment perspective, should NOT be cleaned.) It appears to be made out of thick cotton (similar to cotton duck cloth) and is very sturdy. This is an incredible piece to own and admire, which is also very likely to increase in value over time.  $499.99 ($19.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

Smaller 1980 Tour Over Europe Tour Bag SOLD

This is a very similar, yet smaller, version of the above tan Tour Over Europe duffle bag. It measures approximately 15" long, about 8" high and about 8" wide, and has some permanent markings on it from use and wear. Though it does not have any airlines or travel tags included, it was used by Shelley Kaye while traveling with Led Zeppelin!  $499.99($19.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

Led Zeppelin Concerts West Tour Bag  SOLD

This is a very cool piece that’s not only collectible, it is also useable!

This maroon duffle bag was produced by Concerts West and has the company name and the word “Presents” on one side of the nylon bag, while “Led Zeppelin” is printed on the other side, both in white. It has canvas handles and white plastic trim around some of the seams, and the piece measures approximately 22” in width. Only a very few of these were produced and not many have survived the rigors of touring, yet you can own it, display it, or fit a lot of Led Zeppelin memorabilia inside this gem! $350.00  ($17.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

Led Zeppelin Concerts West Tour Bag  SOLD
This is a very cool piece that’s not only collectible, it is also useable! This maroon duffle bag was produced by Concerts West and has the company name and the word “Presents” on one side of the nylon bag, while “Led Zeppelin” is printed on the other side, both in white. It has canvas handles and white plastic trim around some of the seams, and the piece measures approximately 22” in width. The white printing on each side of the bag shows wear, and the zipper (though still intact) does not function properly, yet could be replaced. Only a very few of these were produced and not many have survived the rigors of touring, yet you can own it, display it, or fit a lot of Led Zeppelin memorabilia inside this gem!  Was $350.00  Now $299.99  ($17.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.

Framed Live Color Photo of Robert Plant & Jimmy Page  SOLD

This is a terrific close-up shot of Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant and Jimmy Page enjoying a moment together onstage during their heyday! This stunning 13 ½” by 10” color photograph was taken by John Brott in March of 1975, who took pictures for Concerts West; the information is handwritten on the back of the 16” by 20” framed item’s backing board. This will certainly turn some heads when displayed on your wall!  $295.00  ($22.95 shipping in the U.S.) Item has already sold.