This is only a preview. The auction will open on: 10/28/2026 1:00:00 PM
Offered Here: KISS 1974 Lot of 3 Rare BW Contact Sheets & Partial Negatives of KISS On The Way To Central Park With Transfer Rights
Item Details: Culled from the private collection of legendary rock photographer Waring Abbott, this exceptional lot features three rare black-and-white contact sheets showcasing 105 visible frames, alongside 24 individual cut negative frames (no complete strips; not all matching negatives present). Captured on April 24, 1974, these historic, candid images document KISS in transit to their famous photo shoot in Central Park, New York City. Sold with valuable transfer rights, these authentic production-era working documents display excellent rock-and-roll pedigree, featuring grease pencil marks, handwriting, mild waving, punch holes, identification dots, creases, possible folds, tape, tape residue, post-it notes, and natural age-related discoloration.
Provenance / Authenticity: The items in this lot are sourced directly from the personal archives of renowned photojournalist Waring Abbott. Abbott’s iconic imagery has graced the pages of Time, Newsweek, People, Rolling Stone, and countless foreign publications, alongside legendary album covers and photo spreads for KISS, Led Zeppelin, Lou Reed, and Bob Dylan and others.
Formed in New York City in 1973 by Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, KISS released their self-titled debut album on Casablanca Records in early 1974 and spent that year building an audience through relentless touring and promotion rather than radio success. Their greasepaint makeup, distinct stage personas and theatrical live shows set them apart from their hard rock contemporaries, and the band's breakthrough with the 1975 live album Alive! turned that early groundwork into one of the most commercially successful and heavily merchandised acts in rock history. Images from this formative period document the group in their hometown before their visual identity became recognized worldwide.
Condition: Good with grease pencil marks, handwriting, mild waving, punch holes, identification dots, creases, possible folds, tape, tape residue, post-it notes, and natural age-related discoloration. This lot includes only partial negatives and not every frame from the contact sheet has a corresponding negative. Only 24 cut negative frames are included in this lot. .
SKU: WBB1028