The Animals. See the foot of the page for other framed photos

During the mid and later 1960s, Thomas Organ produced sets of dealer photographs measuring approximately 13" x 10", generally framed in faux-gold surrounds, of various notable Vox users. The sets seem to have been fairly variable.

The bands known (so far) to have been represented are: The Beatles; Rolling Stones; Gerry and the Pacemakers; The Standells; The Dave Clark Five; Hollies; Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas; Freddie and the Dreamers; The MC5; The Animals; Dino, Desi and Billy; Sir Douglas Quintet; Paul Revere and the Raiders.

Late 1964

Vox Teen Beat magazine no. 1, which was issued in California in late March / early April, 1965, contains on page 4 a picture (below) of a Vox promotion at the Disc Jockey Carnival held at the Los Angeles County Fair, Pomona, 25th-31st December 1964 - probably one of the earliest promotions to take place in the States. The magazine as a whole is available here .

Photographs of Vox users ("dealer photos"), banners and posters are arrayed around the open-air stall set up by Bill Harris Music. One can just make out the "VOX" logos on the headstocks of the guitars.

Los Angeles County Fair at Pomona, Disc Jockey Carnival, 25th-31st December, 1964. An AC100 with Foundation Bass cab at left. Dealer photos: The Beatles, top left, partly obscured; Gerry and the Pacemakers under "VOX" of the banner; below that, the long version of the pic of The Rolling Stones.

Mid 1965

Thomas Organ Vox "King of the Beat" catalogue from mid 1965. At least eight of the small inset pictures were circulated as dealer photos.

July 1966

Vox Teen Beat magazine, vol. 1, issue 3, from mid 1966: a shot of J.R. Chatwell. Behind him, Vox dealer pictures, those identifiable left to right: - The Animals; Billy J. Kramer; Dave Clark Five; Freddie and the Dreamers; The Rolling Stones; and Gerry and the Pacemakers.

The unusual one is of Freddie and the Dreamers - see the trading card below.

Late 1966 / early 1967

Vox Teen Beat magazine, vol. 2, no. 1, late 1966. Below a picture of the store front of the Jenkins Music Company, Kansas City, Missouri :

On the far right, near the top: posters of the Beatles at the Washington Coliseum in 1964. The same picture was used for Thomas Organ Vox adverts in Downbeat magazine.

At the foot of the display, a set of Thomas Organ Vox dealer pictures:

Left to right: Gerry and the Pacemakers; The Beatles; Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas; The Dave Clark Five; and The Animals.

Left to right: Dino, Desi and Billy; The Rolling Stones; and Paul Revere and the Raiders.

PHOTOS AND FRAMES

Some sets sent out in 1965 and 1966 contained pictures of The Hollies, The Standells, The Sir Douglas Quintet, and The MC5 (not included here).