Books Photos Posters Sheet Music & Magazines from Rollercoaster Records Archives & Photographer Bill Francis's Portfolio from th Rock'n'Roll Era of the 50s 60s

Photos

Please Click HERE To see our Listing of over 200 Photos available from stock.
You may also browse our sample gallery below for individual hand made prints!!!

Samples From Bill Francis's Portfolio
Super Quality Hand Made Prints from The Original Negatives!

Photographer Bill Francis took thousands of photographs throughout the 50s, 60s and 70s, mostly in London. He attended press receptions and photo shoots for visiting pop, rock'n'roll and country artists and film stars, along with UK artists and groups. Many of his pictures were never used and few have been seen since. Although Bill has more or less retired, he has agreed to produce a few handmade prints for us to order from his original negatives. You can now obtain one of these 16"x12" (30.5x14.6mm) prints on top quality real photographic paper (not computer prints). A few examples are illustrated below and a complete list will be available soon.

Note that these illustrations do not do the quality of the prints justice, due to the low resolution of these scans. The actual prints will be hand finished and bordered. To order send payment of 35.00 per monochrome print and 75.00 colour (which includes postage in a strong postal tube) to Rollercoaster Records, specifying which print you would like and whether you would like it autographed by Bill (see the Rolling Stones picture below). Please allow up to 28 days for printing and delivery.

If you would like a complete list of available artists please use our Contact Form

HERE

requesting 'Bill's Prints List'

Flair Photography Bill Francis Photographer

Marion Ryan with Bill Francis

Bill Francis - Photographer

We are sorry to announce the death of Bill Francis, founder of Flair Photography on 7th February 2010 after a short illness.

Bill was a professional in every sense; he never compromised with his work whether it was the taking of pictures or the developing and printing that followed.

He became fascinated by photography as a child and with a school-friend, Ron Cohen and a camera acquired from a friend of Ron's aunt, began taking pictures of other children near his home in Walthamstow, London. Encouraged by his parents, Bill soon had his own darkroom at home and when he left college in 1956 Ron suggested they set up in business together, forming Flair Photography in London's Wardour Street.

A photo session at the Festival Hall on the occasion of the Film Industry Sports Association Beauty Contest led to Bill taking pictures of the winner, Eve Porten-Seigne and he later offered her a job at the Flair studios as secretary to the company. A decade later they fell in love and Eve became his lifetime partner.

Flair amassed a huge collection of pictures over the next forty years including visiting film and pop stars from other countries and nearly every film and music personality in the UK. Bill was always in demand because as one client said, he made one feel at ease and it was easy to smile for him - he also had that knack of 'catching the moment'.

Many of the people photographed by Bill, in the entertainment, commercial and advertising world, became personal friends. His pictures are his legacy and he was proud of his work, but more importantly he valued the friendships that work brought him. As he once said, “I've had a marvellous life in my profession because it was never stale, always exciting, and brought me so many lifetime friends”. His most recent friendship, begun during his final illness, was with his consultant who, on hearing the news of his death, said what we all felt, “I loved him dearly”.

Posters

We have a selection of Posters from 50s & 60s

Click HERE to Open Current .PDF list of Posters

For further details please contact us HERE

Record Sleeves

Purchase while stocks last

45rpm plain white paper sleeves (no centre hole) - pack of 100
These sleeves are good for filing records where details can be written on the sleeve - or creating picture sleeves. They can be fed through most printers and photocopiers. Matt finish good quality white paper Click HERE to purchase

78rpm record printed brown paper 10 inch sleeve (pack of 25)
A reproduction of a printed sleeve used for Presto 78rpm acetates and test pressings in the 50s. Period instructions on how to play and care for the record! Reverse side is plain brown. Note that illustration does not show the complete sleeve
Click HERE to purchase

78rpm record plain brown paper 10 inch sleeve (pack of 25)
A pack of plain brown paper 10" record sleeves for 78rpm records. Look just like the old ones with the corect size centre hole - just shows the label. Click HERE to purchase

For further details please contact us HERE