This is only a preview. The auction will open on: 10/28/2026 1:00:00 PM
Offered Here: Van Halen 1988 OU812 Gold Sales Award Presented to Zeke Clark With COA
Item Details: Get ready to rock with another absolute stunner from the Sammy Hagar era, featuring an authentic RIAA gold sales award for Van Halen's massive 1988 number-one album, OU812. Commemorating the spectacular commercial success of major chart-toppers like "Finish What Ya Started" and "When It's Love," this highly collectible accolade is designed in the classic flower hologram configuration of the late eighties. The coveted layout perfectly showcases both the gold record and cassette formats in one visually striking presentation. Officially presented to Zeke Clark, Van Halen's legendary longtime lead guitar technician, this 17 x 21 inch display carries pristine inner-circle rock and roll provenance directly from the personal archive of the man behind the band's legendary stadium sound.
Provenance/Authenticity: Randall "Zeke" Clark is a renowned luthier and legendary guitar/amp technician who got his start in the San Francisco music scene in the 70s, working with various A-list artists until moving to LA in the 80s, where he worked for Eddie Van Halen.
From 1985 to 1993, he served as Edward Van Halen’s lead guitar and amp tech, transitioning to the crew with Sammy Hagar to maintain the band's gear through the monumental 5150, OU812, and For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge eras.
Beyond his historic tenure as the custodian of Eddie's tone, Clark's elite five-decade career includes building, repairing, and maintaining specialized gear for iconic artists such as Prince, Sammy Hagar, Journey, Heart, Poison, and others. This curated selection of items offers collectors a unique and direct connection to rock history through the hands of a master craftsman who shaped the sound of guitar royalty.
This item was personally handled, vetted, and released by Zeke Clark, ensuring its authenticity and rock-history provenance. Zeke Clark utilizes an Official Personal Signature Stamp to validate and inventory documents and artifacts released directly from his private estate. This item comes with his personal ink-imprinted signature stamp on the certificate of authenticity, which serves as his legally binding, authorized mark of verification and carries the full weight of a hand-signed signature.
OU812, released in 1988, was Van Halen's second studio album with Sammy Hagar on vocals and, like its predecessor 5150, reached number one on the Billboard 200, confirming that the band's commercial success continued after David Lee Roth's departure. The album produced the hit ballad "When It's Love" along with "Finish What Ya Started," and showed the Hagar-era lineup balancing hard rock with more melodic, radio-oriented material. Behind that sound was Eddie Van Halen, whose two-handed tapping technique and experimental approach to guitars and amplification influenced a generation of rock guitarists.
Condition: The award is preserved in extremely good condition, showcasing a vibrant and beautifully maintained front display with only minor signs of wear, aging, and storage from decades of careful preservation. Consistent with the aging characteristics of this specific era of manufacturing, the specialized Formica frame covering has lightly lifted at the top corners. This minor, age-related frame wear remains entirely stable, leaving the striking visual appeal of the main presentation completely intact and ready for high-end exhibition.
SKU: RZC2129