Happy Time for Record Jacket Illustrators

Over the last few years I've accumulated quite a few old illustrated album covers. This week I thought it might be fun to have a look at a few of them.



This first one is from Happytime Records (a great name for a record label, in my opinion).



The style of the artwork looks vaguely familiar... but I can't quite place it.



Its wonderful, in any case.



Illustrating album covers back in the day wasn't just a Happytime - it was also Playtime!



No idea who did this one either. The back of the jacket shows a few other Playtime album covers...



... and I found one of those which I believe was by the same artist on Flickr.

Here's yet another fun album cover, this time for a classical composer.



No signature on this piece but I have a sneaking suspicion its by Don Silverstein. (Maybe Harry Borgman, who knew Don personally, will confirm or deny that for us).



Next, a fabulous cover from 1958 signed "Gersten."



Many thanks to Neil Shapiro, who informed me that this is the work of an illustrator named Gerry Gersten, whose work and career is presented in a post on this blog.



Finally for today, here's a hilarious album cover. I would have bought this record just for the front cover, even though it isn't illustrated!



Happily, it does have a great illustrated back cover - for those who dig, you know, actual "chicks."



Cartoon chicks, that is.