<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Two new anthracyclinones, 7‐(2‐hydroxyethylamino)bisanhydroaklavinone and 7‐(2‐hydroxyethylamino)bisanhydro‐ϵ‐rhodomycinone, were isolated from fermentations of the blocked mutants <jats:italic>S. galilaeus</jats:italic> S 383 and <jats:italic>S. griseus</jats:italic> ZIMET 43707, respectively. The new compounds have been designated as anthracyclinone‐blue A and B because of their characteristic deep‐blue colour. Feeding experiments suggest that anthracyclinone‐blue A and 7‐hydroxy‐bisanhydroaklavinone, a minor component of strain S 383, are shunt products originating from aklaviketone.