This is only a preview. The auction will open on: 10/28/2026 1:00:00 PM
Offered Here: Edward & Valerie Van Halen 1988-1991 Lot of 2 Convention Name Tags With COA
Item Details: Capture a rare personal piece of rock and roll royalty with this incredible lot of two original convention name tags belonging to Edward and Valerie Van Halen. This unique pairing provides a rare peek into the private lives of rock’s premier power couple during the peak of the band's era, highlighting their attendance at the industry's biggest music trade show. The lot includes Valerie (Van Halen) Bertinelli’s credential from the 1988 NAMM convention, which comes uniquely affixed to an oversized paper guitar pick that doubles as a vintage event flyer. The paper pick measures approximately 6 x 6 inches. Paired alongside it is Edward Van Halen’s personal name tag from the 1991 NAMM convention, which remains without its original backing paper and displays expected adhesive remnants on the front face. Both pieces are preserved in good to very good condition, showcasing authentic signs of industry use and age that make this a truly specialized, intimate addition to any elite rock memorabilia archive.
Provenance/Authenticity: Randall "Zeke" Clark is a renowned luthier and legendary guitar/amp technician who got his start in the San Francisco music scene in the 70s, working with various A-list artists until moving to LA in the 80s, where he worked for Eddie Van Halen.
From 1985 to 1993, he served as Edward Van Halen’s lead guitar and amp tech, transitioning to the crew with Sammy Hagar to maintain the band's gear through the monumental 5150, OU812, and For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge eras.
Beyond his historic tenure as the custodian of Eddie's tone, Clark's elite five-decade career includes building, repairing, and maintaining specialized gear for iconic artists such as Prince, Sammy Hagar, Journey, Heart, Poison, and others. This curated selection of items offers collectors a unique and direct connection to rock history through the hands of a master craftsman who shaped the sound of guitar royalty.
This item was personally handled, vetted, and released by Zeke Clark, ensuring its authenticity and rock-history provenance. Zeke Clark utilizes an Official Personal Signature Stamp to validate and inventory documents and artifacts released directly from his private estate. This item comes with his personal ink-imprinted signature stamp on the certificate of authenticity, which serves as his legally binding, authorized mark of verification and carries the full weight of a hand-signed signature.
Edward Van Halen reshaped rock guitar after Van Halen's 1978 debut album, popularizing two-handed tapping on the instrumental "Eruption" and influencing a generation of players with his technique and his self-assembled "Frankenstrat" guitar. He was also an active figure in the instrument industry, developing signature guitars and amplifiers with manufacturers and earning a U.S. patent for a guitar support device, which made the NAMM Show, the annual trade convention of the National Association of Music Merchants, a natural setting for him. His marriage to actress Valerie Bertinelli, known for the sitcom "One Day at a Time," began in 1981 and made the pair one of the most visible couples bridging rock music and television during the 1980s.
Condition: Very good to fair with both items in this lot showing use and age. One name tag has adhesive on the front and no backing paper.
SKU: RZC2084