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Cataloguing David Bowie’s archive
The V&A acquired the archive of musician David Bowie in 2023. The 90,000 items it includes arrived in 8 shipments made up of 146 crates. Cataloguing all the items has involved a huge range of tasks, including taking measurements of hotpants and repackaging human hair.
We are also uncovering the many ways that Bowie crafted this comprehensive archive, from annotating documents with post-it notes to getting costumes signed and saving auction catalogues and setlists. Every day was exciting for our team as we learned about Bowie’s archive.
Written by: David Bowie Archive Cataloguing Team
Published: September 2025
Sourcebook for Design
- Museum Number
- LOAN:AMERICASFOUNDATION.2580:1,2-2024
- Description
- The Last Temptation of Christ
- Artist/Maker
- Delifer, Jean-Paul
- Date
- 1987
- Materials/Techniques
- Leather, Suede, Cotton, Ink, Foam, Machine sewing, Glueing, Handwriting
- Museum Number
- LOAN:AMERICASFOUNDATION.1435-2024
- Description
- Station to Station
- Artist/Maker
- Mark Wardel
- Location and Date
- London, 2013
- Materials/Techniques
- Plaster, Paint, Wire, Casting, Painting, Handwriting
- Museum Number
- LOAN:AMERICASFOUNDATION.2768-2024
- Description
- Earthling
- Artist/Maker
- Unknown
- Location and Date
- United States of America, ca.1997
- Materials/Techniques
- Plastic, Velcro, Phosphor, Ink, Adhesive, Glitter, Moulding, Taping, Handwriting
- Museum Number
- LOAN:AMERICASFOUNDATION.2769-2024
- Description
- Earthling
- Artist/Maker
- Unknown
- Location and Date
- United States of America, ca.1997
- Materials/Techniques
- Plastic, Velcro, Phosphor, Ink, Adhesive, Moulding, Taping, Handwriting
- Museum Number
- LOAN:AMERICASFOUNDATION.2770-2024
- Description
- Earthling
- Artist/Maker
- Unknown
- Location and Date
- United States of America, ca.1997
- Materials/Techniques
- Plastic, Velcro, Phosphor, Ink, Adhesive, Glitter, Moulding, Taping, Handwriting
- Museum Number
- LOAN:AMERICASFOUNDATION.1176:1 to 8-2024
- Description
- Musical instrument
- Artist/Maker
- Dubreq Limited - Dubreq Studios Limited
- Location and Date
- Great Britain, ca.1975
- Materials/Techniques
- Plastic, Metal, Wood, Electrical components, Ink, Solder, Paper, Pvc, Moulding, Screwing, Soldering, Printing, Pressing
- Reference Code
- DBA/TEMP/20
- Title/Description
- <i>The Station to Station Tour</i> Make-Up Chart
- Archive Department
- Theatre and Performance
- Date
- 1976
- Materials/Techniques
- Make up chart devised by Mike Westmore for David Bowie on <i>The Station to Station Tour</i>. Contains a detailed written list of make up. Includes a post-it note in Bowie's handwriting.
- Reference Code
- DBA/TEMP/11/2
- Title/Description
- 'Blackout' Envelope
- Archive Department
- Theatre and Performance
- Date
- 1977
- Materials/Techniques
- Envelope which contained handwritten lyric fragments produced as part of writing process for the song 'Blackout' on the album <i>"Heroes"</i>. Post-it on envelope reads "Cut-ups from 'Blackout' Heroes album".
- Reference Code
- DBA/TEMP/205
- Title/Description
- Christie's Pop and Collectable Guitars Catalogue
- Archive Department
- Theatre and Performance
- Date
- 16 Sept 1990
- Materials/Techniques
- Catalogue produced for Christie's Pop and Collectable Guitars auction on 26th September 2000. A rare half inch reel-to-reel studio tape recording of a song entitled 'Star' by David Bowie, recorded in 1971, was included in the auction listed as number 8. David Bowie has written on the front of the catalogue <u>'File</u> I bought #8.' and attached a sticky tab to the page containing information about the tape, and written 'Got it!'.
- Reference Code
- DBA/TEMP/202
- Title/Description
- Envelope to David Bowie from fan
- Archive Department
- Theatre and Performance
- Date
- 20 Mar 1990
- Materials/Techniques
- One envelope addressed to 'Mr David Bowie in concert' at the Birmingham N.E.C Arena, during Bowie's <i>Sound + Vision Tour</i> in 1990. David Bowie has written <u>'Keep'</u> on the envelope.
- Reference Code
- DBA/TEMP/204
- Title/Description
- Iggy Pop: <i>The Idiot Tour,</i> Handwritten Setlist
- Archive Department
- Theatre and Performance
- Date
- Mar 1977 - Apr 1977
- Materials/Techniques
- Handwritten setlist by David Bowie written on graph paper outlining the setlist for <i>The Idiot Tour.</i> David Bowie featured in the backing band for Iggy Pop on this tour. There is a post-it with the setlist which reads "Memorabilia / My set list for Iggy tour", underneath it reads "more info please C x" which has been crossed out, and underneath that it reads "Me on piano. 1977".
- Reference Code
- DBA/TEMP/203
- Title/Description
- BBC Written Archives Cover Sheet
- Archive Department
- Theatre and Performance
- Date
- 15 May 2000
- Materials/Techniques
- Cover sheet from BBC Written Archives Centre regarding copies of David Bowie's 1965 and 1968 audition reports and correspondence.