Sourcing & Framing Vintage Maxell "Blown Away" Print Ads
- Aug 16
- 7 min read
Updated: Aug 25
When we first started framing authentic, original Maxell "Blown Away" 2-page print ads—popularly also known as “Blown Away Guy”, "Man in Chair" or "Guy in Chair"—sourcing loose ads off eBay was relatively simple. But as standalone ad inventory dried up, finding clean, original prints required a more deliberate, systematic approach: going straight to the source publications. And forget about asking the seller to tell you what magazine they pulled it from, non-starter.
Because our core focus at SecondMoonshot Custom Picture Framing is the preservation-grade custom framing rather than simple print ad flipping, we developed a reverse-engineering process to track down complete vintage magazines containing these iconic double-page spreads. We love these ads and consider ourselves somewhat of a Public Service for these posters and ads. So here is some quick info on how to source them yourself for a lower cost...just buy the whole magazine with the bonus of the other cool ads you will likely find in the magazine.
The Legacy of the Maxell "Blown Away" Campaign
The iconic Maxell "Blown Away" advertisement—featuring the "Man in Chair" swept back by high-fidelity sound—is a cornerstone of pop culture history. Based on historical publishing records, the first official appearance of this two-page spread debuted in Rolling Stone Magazine, Issue #321 (July 10, 1980).
Beyond standard magazine insertions, this campaign reached peak popularity through official fine art poster offerings, most notably the high-quality lithograph runs published by Weaver Gallery and printed in France by Graphique de France. The Weaver Gallery "Blown Away" Man in Chair and the rare Weaver Gallery "Blown Away" Porsche 911 Targa lithograph posters remain among the most sought-after original promotional prints from the era.
The Weaver Gallery Lithograph Posters
While magazine spreads brought the image into homes, Weaver Gallery produced the premier display-sized offset lithograph prints for the campaign.
Weaver Gallery "Blown Away" Man in Chair: The classic 24" x 36" lithograph featuring Steve Steigman's iconic photo of the listener in the Le Corbusier chair. These high-grade gallery editions feature distinct margin titling ("Steve Steigman - The Weaver Gallery") and were printed in France by Graphique de France (printed in 1979).
Weaver Gallery "Blown Away" Porsche 911 Targa: A rarer, high-octane variant that swapped the living room for the cockpit of a Porsche 911 Targa. Also printed in France by Graphique de France for Maxell Corp (printed in 1985), this edition seamlessly merged German automotive performance with 1980s audio culture.
While there are claims of some posters from the Weaver Gallery edition sold without the copyright information and stated as original, they were most certainly not printed in France and these are the most prized editions and I generally stay away from them as determining their authenticity without the poster in-hand is a risk. I am pretty sure that I saw one labeled with Graphique de France, but noted as Printed in USA and confident that would be authentic as well.
More about the framing of the lithographs can be found in the blog post Framing Steve Steigman Weaver Gallery "Blown Away" Posters.
How We Track Down Confirmed Original Issues
Uncovering which magazine issue contains a specific 2-page spread requires research and validation:
Back-of-Page Reverse Engineering: We start by inspecting the reverse side of original ads already in our workshop. Distinct typography or headers often point straight to publications like Rolling Stone.
Digital Cross-Referencing & AI Validation: For partial text or ambiguous article snippets, we use image recognition tools to cross-reference headlines, bylines, or photos against magazine back-catalogs. While helpful for narrow searches, AI misidentifies exact publication dates about half the time (often off by an issue or two), making human verification essential.
Archival Indexing: For publication runs like Playboy, accessing digital issue archives allows us to pinpoint exact publication months before sourcing physical copies, saving time and avoiding unnecessary trial purchases.
Physical Verification: We acquire a test copy of the target magazine to physically verify the ad layout, paper quality, and color saturation before adding the issue to our master record of confirmed sources.
Sourcing Tip for Crisp Framed Results
Since online sellers rarely scan every interior page of a vintage magazine, look for issues listed in Very Good to Excellent condition. Prioritizing issues with minimal age-toning or paper yellowing ensures your final framed piece maintains clean, bright contrast for decades. Also, look for the latest issue of the ad you are looking for, as it will likely be available in higher numbers, lower cost, and better condition options.
Identifying Print Runs: Maxell Cassette Variations
For collectors and vintage print enthusiasts, identifying specific print runs comes down to a small but critical detail at the bottom of the page or poster: the featured cassette tape model.
Standard Black Cassette: The original release featuring the classic dark housing.
XLII 90 Gold Cassette: The premium high-bias cassette preferred by audiophiles.
XLII-S 100 Gold Cassette: A sleek, later-run formulation variant.
XLII-S 100 Black/White Cassette: A sleek, later-run formulation variant.
Generic 90 Gold Cassette (Unbranded Model): A distinct gold variant seen primarily in early Rolling Stone issues.
Grayscale Cassette: A monochromatic visual variation produced in lower quantities. The "Blown Away Beach" campaign primarily used this variant, though it appears on select "Man in Chair" prints as well.
No Cassette Variant: A rare edition featuring a blank space with "Maxell, It's Worth It" printed directly under the missing cassette graphic.
Catalog of Known Major Maxell Print Campaign Themes (1980–1991)
While the "Man in Chair" remains the most recognized layout, Maxell expanded this high-impact visual style across a variety of original multi-page print campaigns and gallery poster releases:
Blown Away, Iconic Man in Chair (Standard magazine spread and Weaver Gallery lithograph)
Blown Away, Porsche 911 Targa (Standard magazine spread and Weaver Gallery lithograph, note that I have never seen this to date with a black original cassette style in a Rolling Stone magazine, only with an XLII-S 100 Gold Cassette)
Blown Away, Beach
Freestyle Skier
Rock 'n' Roll Moon Robots
Stealth Fighter Jet
Upside-Down Car
3-Page Blown Away Foldout Ad
3 Faces of the Blown Away Guy
Girl Doing Somersault (Extremely rare; produced primarily for trade shows and industry promotions)
Trade Show Exclusives (Specialized runs produced for industry events like CES)
Preserve Your Original Ads & Gallery Posters
At SecondMoonshot Custom Picture Framing, we specialize in transforming these delicate vintage magazine spreads and original lithograph posters into tailored, display-ready pieces. High-acid newsprint and vintage paper stocks deteriorate quickly when exposed to improper materials. We utilize research-backed, reversible, conservation and preservation-level mounting methods to ensure your piece remains protected for decades.
Every custom quote provides clear details specifying materials, mounting methods, dimensions, and costs, backed by our Lifetime Workmanship & Materials Guarantee.
Studio in Rolesville and Serving the Rolesville, Wake Forest, and surrounding area, NC.
Here are ads we have confirmed, are all exclusively for 2 page ads. We don't go looking for some the less popular ads as I don't sell them or rarely do. Note that the Rolling Stones ads are typically around 12.5"h x 10.5"w (although later editions seem to get smaller). Bold indicates most popular/relevant.:
Magazine | Date/Issue | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Rolling Stone | Nov 30, 1989 #566 | Blown Away, Porsche 911 Targa, Gold XLII-S 100 Cassette, "NO OTHER AUDIO TAPE DELIVERS..." | Confirmed |
Rolling Stone | July 10, 1980 #321 | Blown Away, Black Cassette, "AFTER 500 PLAYS..." | Confirmed, First known publishing by me. |
Rolling Stone | June 25, 1981 #346 | Blown Away, Black Cassette, "AFTER 500 PLAYS..." | Confirmed |
Sports Illustrated | Aug 30, 1982 | Rock 'n' Roll Moon Robots, Black Cassette | Confirmed |
Rolling Stone | August 23, 1990 #585 | Blown Away, XLII 90 Gold Cassette | Confirmed |
Rolling Stone | June 15, 1989 #554 | Blown Away, XLII 90 Gold Cassette, "NO OTHER AUDIO TAPE DELIVERS..." | Confirmed |
Playboy | December, 1980 | Blown Away, Black Cassette, "AFTER 500 PLAYS..." | Confirmed |
Playboy | June, 1981 | Blown Away, Black Cassette, "AFTER 500 PLAYS..." | Confirmed |
Playboy | November, 1989 | Blown Away, XLII 90 Gold Cassette, "NO OTHER AUDIO TAPE DELIVERS..." | Confirmed |
Playboy | December, 1980 | Blown Away, Black Cassette, "AFTER 500 PLAYS..." | Confirmed |
Playboy | June, 1983 | Blown Away, Porsche 911 Targa, Black Cassette, "IF YOU'VE GOT THE WATTS..." | Confirmed |
Playboy | September, 1982 | Blown Away, Porsche 911 Targa, Black Cassette, "IF YOU'VE GOT THE WATTS..." | Confirmed |
Playboy | Sometime in 1990 | Blown Away, Porsche 911 Targa, XLII-S 90 Gold Cassette, "IF YOU'VE GOT THE WATTS..." | Unconfirmed |
Rolling Stone | June 16, 1988 | Blown Away, Beach, Grayscale Cassette, "NO OTHER TAPE DELIVERS..." | Confirmed |
Rolling Stone | March 5, 1981 | Blown Away, Freestyle Skier, Black Cassette, "PORTABLE TAPE DECKS..." | Confirmed |
Rolling Stone | January 11, 1990 | Blown Away, Porsche 911 Targa, XLII-S 100 Gold Cassette, "NO OTHER AUDIO TAPE DELIVERS..." | Confirmed |
Rolling Stone | March 5, 1992 | Stealth Fighter, XLII-S 100 B/W Cassette, "THE HIGHER THE PERFORMANCE..." | Unconfirmed |
Rolling Stone | Sometime in 1988 | Blown Away, Grayscale Cassette, "NO OTHER AUDIO TAPE DELIVERS..." | Unconfirmed |
Rolling Stone | March 10, 1988 | Blown Away, Generic 90 Gold Cassette, "NO OTHER AUDIO TAPE DELIVERS..." | Confirmed |
Rolling Stone | December 15-29, 1988 | Blown Away, Generic 90 Gold Cassette, "NO OTHER AUDIO TAPE DELIVERS..." | Confirmed |
Playboy | September, 1980 | Upside-down Car, Black Cassette, "IF THERE'S A MAXELL IN THIS CAR..." | Unconfirmed |
Playboy | December, 1990 | Blown Away, XLII 90 Gold Cassette, "NO OTHER AUDIO TAPE DELIVERS...", "Free Poster" on Left Page Bottom | Confirmed |
SPIN | December, 1990 (The Year in Music Edition) | Blown Away, XLII 90 Gold Cassette, "NO OTHER AUDIO TAPE DELIVERS...", "Free Poster" on Left Page Bottom | Confirmed |
Circus |
Author's Note: A portion of this content was authored with the assistance of AI, mostly for wordsmithing my original technical notes.
Disclaimer: Any links provided are direct links. SecondMoonshot is not an affiliate for any manufacturer, product, or service referenced. We independently purchase and use the products and services mentioned.
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