[ULTRA RARE SET] “The Rolling Stones – Tattoo You” – Original Japanese Promotional Poster Pair, 1981, B2 Size (51 x 73cm) Q154

THE ROLLING STONES “TATTOO YOU” Original Japanese Promotional Poster Set (Toshiba-EMI / 1981)
Original B2 Posters | 51.5 × 72.8 cm each | Offset Lithographs | Printed in 1981
NOT FOR SALE ITEMS | Japanese Record-Store Promotion | Complete Mick Jagger & Keith Richards Pair

This is an ultra-rare matching set of two original Japanese B2 promotional posters produced in 1981 for The Rolling Stones’ landmark album Tattoo You. Issued by Toshiba-EMI for the Japanese release campaign, these posters were distributed exclusively to record shops and music-industry contacts for display purposes, and were not sold commercially to the public.

The set comprises both key visual variants from the Tattoo You campaign:

1. Mick Jagger Poster – Red Background
Featuring the iconic front-cover album image of Mick Jagger, shown in a high-contrast black-and-white portrait against a vivid red field. His face and neck are overlaid with intricate tattoo-inspired graphic markings. The lower panel presents the band name:

“THE ROLLING STONES”

2. Keith Richards Poster – Green Background
Featuring the corresponding back-cover album image of Keith Richards, shown in profile against a vivid green field, with the same striking tattoo-inspired visual treatment. The lower panel promotes the album release with the text:

“NEW ALBUM TATTOO YOU”

Together, these two posters form the complete Japanese promotional pairing for the album, combining the front-cover Mick Jagger artwork with the back-cover Keith Richards artwork. Finding both examples together, in matching condition and with such strong colour retention, is exceptionally difficult.

The visual identity of Tattoo You is among the most memorable in The Rolling Stones’ catalogue. The album package was created under the art direction of Peter Corriston, with photography by Hubert Kretzschmar and tattoo-inspired illustrations by Christian Piper. Piper’s bold graphic treatment, applied over the portraits, gave the campaign its distinctive tribal, early-1980s visual character. The album packaging was recognised with the 1982 Grammy Award for Best Album Package.

Released in 1981, Tattoo You became one of The Rolling Stones’ defining albums of the period, led by the hit single “Start Me Up”. The Japanese promotional posters translate the Grammy-winning sleeve concept into two bold, large-format display pieces, using saturated red and green colour fields, strong block typography, and the classic Rolling Stones Tongue and Lips logo at the lower right of each poster.

Key Details:
• Artist / Band: The Rolling Stones
• Album: Tattoo You
• Year: 1981
• Country: Japan
• Distributor / Label: Toshiba-EMI
• Format: Original Japanese promotional record-store poster set
• Quantity: 2 posters — complete Mick Jagger and Keith Richards pair
• Size: B2, approx. 51.5 × 72.8 cm each
• Medium: Offset lithographs
• Purpose: Promo-only / not-for-sale Japanese album-release advertising display
• Design Credits: Peter Corriston art direction; Hubert Kretzschmar photography; Christian Piper tattoo illustration concept
• Printed Text: “THE ROLLING STONES” and “NEW ALBUM TATTOO YOU”
• Logo: Rolling Stones Tongue and Lips logo printed at lower right on both posters

Condition:
Excellent vintage condition, particularly remarkable given the age and original record-store promotional use of these posters. The colours are extremely vibrant, with strong reds, greens, blacks, and whites throughout. Both posters present beautifully as a pair, with only minor signs of age and handling consistent with original paper promotional material from 1981. The reverse sides are shown in the images and display normal age-related paper texture and light toning. Please review all photographs carefully, as they show the exact posters for sale.

Rarity & Significance:
• Ultra-rare complete Japanese B2 promotional set for Tattoo You
• Original Toshiba-EMI promo-only record-store display items
• Includes both the Mick Jagger front-cover design and Keith Richards back-cover design
• Based on the celebrated Grammy-winning Tattoo You album package
• Highly collectible for Rolling Stones collectors, Japanese music-poster collectors, and graphic design enthusiasts
• Surviving shop-display posters from this period are scarce, and complete matching pairs in excellent condition are especially difficult to obtain
• A visually powerful and historically significant Rolling Stones display set from the band’s early-1980s era

Please refer to the detailed images provided — these are the exact posters for sale.

They are over 44 years old.

They are not reproductions or reprints.

Certificate of Authenticity included.