Beatles Autographs
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SI9. A Signed “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” Inner Sleeve
Over the past 44 years, The Beatles’"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" has been written about and commented on perhaps more than any album in pop music history. There’s little more to be said about the revered, groundbreaking 1967 LP. It sits supremely atop the hierarchy of virtually every generation of recorded music in the 20th century, lauded as one of the most important recordings ever made. Its stature has long been recognized by Beatles fans and collectors — and collectibles related to “Sgt. Pepper” are among the most sought-after in the hobby.
This stunning signed original LP inner sleeve to the landmark release has been signed and inscribed in black felt tip pen in its year of release by all four members of The Beatles. The background of this piece is not known, however. In the early days of Beatles auctions (1980s and 1990s), there were many beautiful, authentic Beatles signature sets that had little or no background history. They were sold for what they were. Today, many auction houses work tirelessly to secure a history behind each piece they sell. While it’s true that every signed piece has a story to tell, the fact remains that many of these stories are lost to time.
The signatures on this “Pepper” inner sleeve date to 1967. The vast majority of autographs from that year were signed during the filming of the “Magical Mystery Tour” television special as the bus toured the English countryside and stopped in the towns along the route. It’s quite possible that this was signed then - the signatures match up precisely with this time frame - but there is unfortunately no way to verify that they were from this 2 week period in September. Suffice to say that full Beatles signature sets from 1967 are becoming increasingly scarcer and harder to find as fewer and fewer are coming into light. There has only been roughly a handful in the past couple of years.
The set presented here is a beauty, with each of the four signatures a textbook example. You just can’t get better than this for the quality and completeness of the signatures, which are fairly large as well, with John’s measuring 4 inches in length. Three of the four Beatles have autographed with inscriptions: “love from Paul McCartney”, “Love Ringo Starr” (followed by three X’s/kisses) and “To Dottie Wood love John Lennon” (followed by a single “X”/kiss). George Harrison has simply signed his name. Signing with kisses was commonplace in 1962-63 when the group had friendships and close interaction with their fans. After 1964, this practice all but disappeared, making the appearance of “kisses” from Ringo and John in 1967 an uncommon sight. The inner sleeve design created by The Fool in the psychedelic style so prevalent in the “Summer of Love” provides the perfect background for this set, capturing the essence of that mind-expanding period when music, fashion and ideas were at their most expressive.
Vintage, fully-signed “Sgt. Pepper” LP covers can command in excess of six figures. This fully-signed inner sleeve, the ONLY one which has surfaced to date, is a top-notch investment piece and could very well be the closest most collectors will ever get to owning a signed “Sgt. Pepper”. Here is a chance to own a piece of pop music history — at a far more affordable price than a signed cover…..$50,000.
SA3.
A
“White Album” Signed By John Lennon & Paul McCartney
In
November 1968, The Beatles released their ninth UK album — their first on the
newly-created Apple label. The double LP, simply titled “The Beatles”,
was housed in a plain white cover and quickly gained notoriety as the “White
Album”. It contained 30 new songs, most written earlier that year in Rishikesh,
India while the group was studying transcendental meditation under the Maharishi
Mahesh Yogi. The eclectic style of the music contained on the “White Album”
took the listener on an unexpected aural journey. From hard rock to reggae,
acoustic ballads to avant-garde, chamber music to country and even touches of
1930’s dance hall, blues and bluegrass music, this landmark release touted
nearly every musical genre known at the time. Many critics and aficionados
consider it to be their best work and it is indeed a fan favorite, ranking tenth
on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All
Time”.
Here is an American Apple issue “White Album” LP cover signed on the right-hand
side of the open gatefold in the mid-1970s by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
John has used a red felt pen to sign, and the result is an unusually large
signature that measures 5¾” long. This autograph bears a strong resemblance to
those signed in May of 1975 when he was a special guest host at the WFIL Helping
Hands Marathon in Philadelphia. Paul McCartney has signed in black ballpoint
pen. His signature, which measures just under 5” long, dates from the mid-1970s,
either 1975 or 1976. Any “White Album” signed by John Lennon in any form is
incredibly scarce and, to date, only one known example signed by all four
members of The Beatles has surfaced. Today, it is worth over $100,000. The album
offered here, signed by the songwriting juggernaut of John Lennon and Paul
McCartney — arguably the greatest of all time and the composing team responsible
for 25 of the 30 songs on the “White Album” — is the first ever to date which
has been signed only by Lennon & McCartney…..$20,000
SI8. A “Twist and Shout” Extended Play Record Sleeve Signed By The Beatles
On July 12, 1963, The Beatles released their first EP (extended play) record in Great Britain on Parlophone Records, entitled “Twist and Shout”. The songs included on this 4 song record were all taken off of their debut album “Please Please Me” and they were: “Twist and Shout”, “A Taste of Honey” (both cover versions written by other artists) and “Do You Want to Know A Secret” and “There’s A Place” (both Lennon & McCartney originals). Even though the songs were available on the album, the “Twist and Shout” EP sold more than 800,000 copies in Great Britain, a remarkable feat at the time for an extended play record. Upon release, the record promptly reached #1 in the U.K. charts – and stayed there for 21 weeks! It also remained in the EP charts for a record 64 weeks.
The front of the “Twist and Shout” EP sleeve features a Dezo Hoffmann photo of The Beatles in a jumping mid-air pose, hovering above a decrepit wall. John Lennon’s vocal performance on the song “Twist and Shout” was nothing short of magnificent. It is a raucous dynamic rocker, and to this day it ranks among the finest examples of a Rock & Roll vocal in the history of British music. John was only able to record one take (because it took a toll on his vocal cords), which was left for last in the one day marathon recording session on February 11, 1963 that resulted in almost the entire “Please Please Me” album. Many agree that the Beatles’ version of “Twist and Shout” is the definitive version, rather than the original done by the Isley Brothers.
All four have signed the reverse side of this original pressing EP record sleeve beautifully in dark blue ballpoint pen. The signatures date from within one month and a half of the time of release – so the EP was very current when The Beatles signed it. The sleeve is in excellent condition, having been well kept very the years. The original record is included, and it is in VG condition. Beatles signed EP’s are incredibly rare - many more times so than signed LP covers. In fact, to date there have been less than 10 authentically signed Beatles EP covers known to surface, which puts them in the realm of ultra-scarce…..$30,000
SA2. The Nicest Signed "Please Please Me" LP Cover In
Existence, With Impeccable Provenance
SI7.
RARE PAY
RECEIPT FROM THE TOP TEN CLUB IN HAMBURG SIGNED BY ALL FIVE ORIGINAL
BEATLES, JUNE 1961
On Saturday,
April 1, 1961, The Beatles embarked on their second trip to Hamburg, a
stay that would last 13 weeks and encompass 92 nights and over 500 hours
on stage. Their residency this time was at Peter Eckhorn's Top Ten Club
on the Reeperbahn in the St. Pauli red-light district. This wouldn't be
the first time they'd played the Top Ten. The previous fall, during
their first visit to Hamburg, they had often sneaked off from the
Kaiserkeller to play the newly-opened Top Ten Club which provided a more
upscale setting and a far more accommodating boss than the
Kaiserkeller's "Mak Schau" master Bruno Koschmider. Their 1960 contract
with Koschmider had stipulated that they could not play another club
within 25 miles of the Kaiserkeller without his permission. When
Koschmider heard of The Beatles' defection, he got his payback by having
the under-aged George Harrison deported, followed soon by Paul McCartney
and Pete Best (whom he accused of attempting to burn down the wretched
accommodations he'd provided for them behind the screen of the decrepit
Bambi Kino movie theater).
Now it was a few months later -- the spring of 1961 -- and the band was back to play the Top Ten, fulfilling an agreement Peter Eckhorn had made with them the previous November. After a letter writing campaign conducted by Pete and his mother Mona Best to the West German Immigration Office, the deportation ban on Paul and Pete was lifted for a year. Harrison was now 18 years old and so the path to play Hamburg was cleared. A final contract with Eckhorn was negotiated and they took the stage on April 1st. The 13-week schedule was grueling. They were required to be on stage from 7 p.m. until 2 a.m. Mondays through Fridays and from 7 p.m. until 3 a.m. on weekends, with 15-minute breaks each hour. Their salary was 35DM (deutschmarks) per band member per day for a total of 245DM a week for each man. At the time, the 35DM daily fee for each Beatle amounted to about 3 pounds British Sterling). While their pay was scant, the long hours helped them to dramatically improve their playing skills. Stu Sutcliffe, who had stayed in Hamburg with his girlfriend Astrid Kirchherr following the band's first visit, joined the group on stage numerous evenings during their run of Top Ten shows.
It was during this visit that The Beatles made their first real professional recordings backing fellow Englishman Tony Sheridan for the popular German label Polydor (whose A & R man was producer/composer/orchestra leader Bert Kaempfert). These sessions held from June 22-23 produced several recordings, most notoriously the "My Bonnie" single as well as "Ain't She Sweet" and "Cry For A Shadow".
At the end of each week during their Top Ten tenure, the band (in addition to Tony Sheridan) was presented a single, handwritten pay receipt that they were required to sign in order to receive their playing fees. Thirteen of these receipts were created -- one for each week of their 13-week stay.
Offered here is one such receipt, signed in full by all five original Beatles. While there is a space for Tony Sheridan to sign, he has not added his signature, making this receipt all the more desirable because of the presence of ONLY the Beatles' signatures. This receipt is the one from their next-to-last week at the Top Ten Club and is dated "17.-23.6.61" (June 17-23, 1961). Astonishingly, this receipt was signed at the end of the VERY week that The Beatles recorded "My Bonnie" and quite likely within a mere day of the completion of those historic Polydor recordings. Their last date at the Top Ten was Saturday, July 1st. As previously noted, this receipt shows the 35DM daily pay and the 245DM weekly pay for each member.
Measuring approximately 8½" X 10", the receipt has been handwritten in blue fountain pen presumably by the accountant for the Top Ten Club and each Beatles has signed in blue ballpoint. The signatures are strikingly clear and complete: "George Harrison" (who was 18 at the time), "Paul McCartney" (age 19 that very week), "J.W. Lennon" (age 20), "Stuart Sutcliffe" (who turned 21 that same week, on June 23rd, his last birthday before his tragic death of a brain hemorrhage 10 months later) and "Peter Best" (age 19).
This signed receipt is exceedingly scarce and is among the fewer than twenty known sets featuring the signatures of all five original Beatles. As mentioned previously, many of the known receipts from this series of shows were additionally signed by Tony Sheridan, making this one signed only by the five Beatles a very unusual, rare and desirable piece. When a few of these receipts first appeared at auction in 1999, they were immediately sold and absorbed into collections. Most have never been put back onto the market. Generally speaking, full sets of Beatles autographs from 1961 with Stuart Sutcliff are virtually non-existent.
Here is the rare opportunity to own a stunning piece of early Beatles
history -- and, considering the extreme scarcity of such pieces, one that may not come
along again for years to come, if ever.....$60,000
SOLD
PC1. THE BEATLES — EARLY
PARLOPHONE PROMO CARD SIGNED ON JANUARY 6, 1963
On January 1, 1963, The Beatles flew from Hamburg to London after
concluding a 13-night residency at Hamburg’s Star-Club the previous evening.
With only one night’s rest in London and barely a breather in between, the group
embarked the morning of January 2nd on a limited 5-date tour of Scotland. They
caught a scheduled flight to Edinburgh where their devoted roadie and driver
Neil Aspinall was waiting with their van to drive them to their first gig in the
town of Keith. However, at the last minute, a raging snow and ice storm forced a
diversion of the flight from Edinburgh to Aberdeen. Because the roads were
virtually impassable, the first night’s show in Keith was cancelled. It was an
inauspicious start to their first ‘proper’ tour. After playing shows in Elgin,
Dingwall and Bridge of Allan from the 3rd to the 5th, they wrapped up the tour
on the 6th at the Beach Ballroom in Aberdeen.
For offer here is a black and white Parlophone Records promotional photo card
signed on the reverse by all four members of The Beatles on that last night of
the tour. John, Paul and George have signed in dark blue ballpoint pen and Ringo
Starr has signed in black ballpoint pen. Each signature is clear, bold and not
rushed in any way and are textbook examples of The Beatles’ autographs from
early 1963. The photo side of the card features an image of the group in the
studio at Abbey Road during their recording session for ‘Love Me Do’. Taken
September 4, 1962 by famed Beatles photographer Dezo Hoffmann, it shows the
group in their final incarnation at the very beginning of their storied career.
George Harrison sports a black eye ‘bestowed’ on him outside the Cavern Club by
an irate fan who was retaliating for the band’s decision to dump drummer Pete
Best for Ringo Starr less than three weeks before the photo was snapped. This
promo card is one of the first depicting Ringo as a member of the band.
Accompanying the piece is a letter from the original recipient, who has written:
“January 1963 – My friend and I went, as usual, to the ‘Sunday Night Concert’
at the Beach Ballroom, Aberdeen. Appearing one night was an up and coming group
– The Beatles. My cousin, who was in Aberdeen on a visit from Canada,
introduced himself to the Manager of the Beach Ballroom, as a DJ in Canada. He
was invited to meet The Beatles, and my friend and I were invited too. Had we
thought that these four young men, sitting drinking tea and coffee backstage,
would reach the heights that The Beatles did, then we might have paid more
attention to what they were saying, rather than just falling hook line and
sinker for John Lennon. Isobel Henderson”. Signed pieces with written
provenance like this are among the most desirable to own, enabling the collector
to pinpoint the exact time and place of the signing.
Autographs from this short five-night tour are extremely rare and sets that can be tied to a specific date and venue are even more uncommon. The card measures 8.75cm x 14.5cm (3.5 inches x 5.7 inches). There is light creasing, wear and toning to the card and a 5mm tear to the bottom center. Otherwise, the card is in very good condition. This is a unique opportunity to acquire a beautiful autograph set signed just a short time after The Beatles’ final lineup was established…..$10,000
SI6.
THE BEATLES
FULLY-SIGNED TICKET TO STOWE SCHOOL SHOW, THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 1963
In the early days, Beatles shows were sometimes booked for the unlikeliest reasons – often something as simple as a schoolboy’s request. In January 1963, a student from Liverpool named David Moores wrote to Brian Epstein to book the up-and-coming band from his hometown for a show at his school, the posh all-boy Stowe School in Stowe, Buckinghamshire. Epstein agreed to the appearance for a fee of 100 pounds. It took place nearly three months later, on Thursday, April 4th. They spent from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the BBC Paris Studios in London, recording an appearance on the Light Programme Radio Series, “Side By Side”. They were to record another appearance from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m., but cancelled due to the Stowe booking.
From the BBC studios, Epstein and the group traveled to Stowe for the late afternoon gig (5:30 p.m.). The appearance was somewhat unconventional for them because instead of performing for an audience of screaming girls, they played before a restrained all-male student audience that sat politely and quietly throughout the entire performance. The show took place in the Roxburgh Hall, named for J.F. Roxburgh, the school’s first headmaster from forty years earlier. It has been reported that the full show was captured on tape by a student with a home recorder.
Tickets to this show in any condition are exceedingly rare – virtually nonexistent. Here is a nice example with an astonishing bonus. The reverse side has been beautifully signed in black ballpoint pen by all four members of The Beatles. Photos from that day show the group mingling with some students after the performance, and the original obtainer of this set attended Stowe and was one of the lucky few who were able to meet The Beatles.
Signed tickets such as this one are very few and far between. Less than 20 authentic fully-signed Beatles concert tickets have been documented, making this Stowe ticket extremely rare and desirable. Measuring 4” x 2 ½”, it has been noticeably handled over the 46 years since the show, with wear and tear on 3 edges, but the graphics on the printed side remain very sharp and legible.
This is your chance to own a signed ticket to one of The Beatles’ most unusual gigs – played less than two weeks after the release of their first UK LP, “Please Please Me”, and at the very beginning of their meteoric rise to fame in their native England…..$12,000
SI2. a pan am
postcard signed by the beatles ON february 7, 1964,
during THEIR HISTORIC first flight
to new york
Friday, February 7, 1964. It is arguably the most decisive
day in the history of The Beatles. At 11:00 a.m., the group and their entourage
boarded Pan Am flight 101 at London’s Heathrow Airport and embarked on the trip
that would change the world forever. This was their first journey to America,
and they were on the way to make their groundbreaking appearances on The Ed
Sullivan Show. Fading in the distance behind them was their native England, the
country they had taken by storm throughout 1963. Through chart-topping records,
television, radio and concert appearances, they had well-established themselves
as the most heralded act in all of British entertainment. In just a few hours,
they would arrive in the United States – America – the one domain that no
British act had ever conquered. During the flight, The Beatles were virtually
caught between two realms – a past that saw humble beginnings, a demanding
musical apprenticeship in Liverpool and Hamburg and a meteoric rise to fame in
Britain … and an unfathomable future that not even the most vocal devotees could
have predicted. This was more than just a flight to New York City. This was a
flight to their destiny. Once they stepped off the Pan Am Yankee Clipper and
onto the tarmac at JFK Airport, nothing would ever be the same again.
It’s been often said that an autograph is a moment frozen in time. If there was
ever a Beatles autograph set that captured an epochal moment, this is it – a Pan
Am postcard signed by all four Beatles in mid-flight just an hour before that
momentous landing in New York. All have signed their full names beautifully on
the reverse side of a Pan Am postcard in blue ballpoint pen. George Harrison has
additionally written an inscription: “Dear Monica Best wishes from the BEATLES”.
What is most remarkable about this signed postcard offering is the letter that
accompanies it. Rarely has such impeccable provenance been provided with a
Beatles autograph set. Amazingly, the note, written by a member of the flight
crew (Gerry Shea), is on a sheet of Pan Am letterhead and boasts all the written
pedigree that collectors dream about. It’s as though Gerry knew that detailed
provenance would be critically important over four decades later.
At the top, he has dated the letter “Friday, February 7, 1964” and has also
added the time (“5:30 p.m. London time, 12:30 p.m. New York time”) as well as
“Flight 101, Boeing 707”. The body of the letter reads:
Dear Monica,
Good news – I have the Beatles on board and we are up in the air now about one
hour away from New York. The flight has been a good one so far. We left London
airport at 1 a.m. and sure enough there were hordes of screaming girls – The B’s
boarded safely however – They are very nice Monica, fine lads – I had a chat
with each of them and told them of you – I told Paul especially that he was your
favorite – They all send their greetings to you and don’t be surprised if they
all pop into Woolworths to see you someday – Excuse my poor writing as the air
is a little rough here. I am enclosing the card they signed just for you. They
said they were delighted to do it. I sure hope you are still living at this
address because I would not want your autographs to get lost – The Beatles are
going to be in N.Y. 10 days – They did some singing in the lounge on the plane –
quite good too.
I hope you, Ann, Mrs. Voss, Olive, etc. etc. are well – Please give my best
wishes to all of them & to Mary White if you get to see her. Hope to be seeing
all of you again at the end of the month –
Both the Beatles & I send our love to you – Keep well
Gerry Shea
As if this isn’t enough provenance, the letterhead reads “In Flight…Pan Am Jet
Clipper”, further cementing the fact that the set was signed during the flight.
One of the most fascinating passages in Gerry’s letter is one mentioning an
impromptu show held by the group in the plane’s lounge. One can only imagine
them doing an “unplugged” rehearsal of their Sullivan set!
Interestingly, as Gerry was obtaining The Beatles’ autographs on this postcard,
the band’s road manager Neil Aspinall was elsewhere in the plane busily adding
his own version of their signatures to a stack of publicity photographs in an
effort to fulfill what would certainly be an avalanche of autograph requests
from Manhattan police and city officials. After a while, he tired of signing in
full and proceeded to sign the balance of the photos in first name only.
The postcard and letter are accompanied by the original Pan Am envelope which
has been addressed to the recipient in London, Monica Conway, and is postmarked
“FEB10 ‘64” (mailed from Jamaica, New York – which is just next to JFK airport).
Noted Beatles author and historian Bruce Spizer has devoted an entire page to
this piece in his highly-acclaimed 2003 book The Beatles Are Coming! The Birth
of Beatlemania in America, which chronicles in detail the band’s gradual
introduction to American audiences throughout 1963 as well as their whirlwind
two-week first visit to America in February 1964.
In every detail, this remarkable assemblage of items represents the calm before
the storm. Even the most discerning collectors would be hard-pressed to find a
Beatles autograph set with better provenance or one that captures a more
important moment in The Beatles’ extraordinary history. This is a truly unique
opportunity to own what is one of the best-documented and historic sets of
Beatles autographs ever to surface…..$35,000
JL1. A Beatles Tour Program Signed By John Lennon
On March 9, 1963 — just 5 days after the conclusion of their supporting gig on
the Helen Shapiro tour — the Beatles embarked on their second major tour of
Great Britain as the primary opening act for two chart-topping American singers
-- Chris Montez and Tommy Roe. Twenty-year-old Montez had reached #1 in America
the previous year with “Let’s Dance” (which also reached #2 in the UK). Roe,
also 20, had scored a #1 hit in America in September 1962 with “Sheila”. The
tour, which ran through March 31st, encompassed 21 shows in 23 days and included
stops in such towns as Birmingham, Bristol, Sheffield and their native
Liverpool. Soon after the tour began, “Britain’s Dynamic Beatles” assumed top
billing due to audience demand as well as the #1 status of their “Please
Please Me” single which had been at the top of the UK charts for 3 weeks.
Their first LP, “Please Please Me” would be released in the UK during the
tour, on March 22, 1963 ... and their climb from obscurity to legend would begin
in earnest.
Offered here is a program from the Montez-Roe tour. For the first time ever, The
Beatles made the cover of a tour program, though because they were still a
supporting act, their photos appear on the back cover while Montez and Roe
dominate the front cover. The back cover of this program featuring The Beatles
has been beautifully signed by John Lennon in blue ballpoint pen just above his
image. He has added “XX” following his signature and has gone on to sign for the
other three members of the band, also adding “X’s” after each respective
autograph.
From time to time during a tour, autograph requests would arrive when all four
Beatles were not present. Consequently, one Beatle would sign for one or more of
his missing band mates and, as examples show, to the best of their ability, they
actually tried to duplicate the signing characteristics and nuances of the
others. None of them became particularly proficient at this and today it’s quite
easy to spot instances when one Beatle has signed for the others. More often
than not, it was Paul McCartney who followed this practice as there are more
such sets done by him than the others. ‘Full sets’ done by John Lennon are quite
rare. Few have surfaced over the years and almost all of those were done on
autograph album pages. The fact that this particular set was signed on a tour
program makes it far more rare and desirable. The program measures 8” x 10 ½”,
and is in excellent condition overall,
with minor
wear…..$7,500
JL3. JOHN LENNON HANDWRITTEN LETTER FROM 1971
John Lennon’s political activism first manifested itself in 1966 when he defied
Brian Epstein and publicly denounced the war in Vietnam. Later that year, in his
first solo effort away from The Beatles, he joined the cast of the anti-war
film, “How I Won The War”. He expressed himself more vocally two years later
with the 1968 song “Revolution” and began to embrace radicalism as his panacea
for world change and personal and political liberation. With his wife Yoko Ono,
he staged his now-famous bed-ins for peace, using the media as a form of free
advertising to further convey a radical message. By the early 1970s, he used his
music to rail against war, racism and sexism and allied himself with such
radical lightning rods as Yippie founder Jerry Rubin and Bobby Seale, chairman
of the Black Panther Party. This period proved to be one of the most interesting
and, in the opinions of many Lennon fans, most embarrassing phases of his career
as he further attempted to use rock music to call attention to political and
social oppression around the world. His withdrawal from political activism in
1972 was precipitated by the Nixon administration’s deportation proceedings.
On a few occasions, Lennon gravitated to individuals whom he felt were
wronged by the political system, staging benefits and other media events on
their behalf. In January 1970, he and Yoko shaved their heads so that their hair
could be auctioned off to raise funds in support of a London-based black power
advocate named Michael X, a controversial figure who envisioned himself as a
British Malcolm X. The following year, at the urging of Jerry Rubin, the Lennons
performed at a rally in Ann Arbor, Michigan in support of John Sinclair, a
counterculture figure and organizer of the White Panther Party, who had been
serving a 10-year prison term for selling two marijuana joints to an undercover
officer. This obviously struck a personal chord with Lennon because of his own
conviction for marijuana possession in 1968 and the ensuing case that dogged his
efforts to stay in America in the early-to-mid 1970s.
The letter being offered here was handwritten by Lennon in defense of yet
another radical, Massoud Rajavi, and others in his movement. In 1967,
19-year-old Rajavi (b. 1948) became the youngest member of the central committee
of the Organization of People’s Mujahideen of Iran (WIPO), an organization
opposed to the dictatorial regime of the Shah of Iran. In 1971, the year this
letter was written, the leaders of this movement were arrested and sentenced to
death. Some were executed, but Rajavi’s sentence was commuted to life in prison,
the result of the efforts of an international campaign run by his brother, a
professor of political science. Ultimately, he was released from prison – a mere
three weeks before the Iranian revolution of February 1979.
This letter, written out on in Lennon’s hand presumably addressed to the
Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, states:
“Your majesty, on behalf of ourselves and our friends, we humbly ask you to show
clemency to the new world-famous 37 political prisoners, especially the
22-year-old student Massoud Radjavi (sic), peace & love, John and Yoko Lennon.”
The signature is followed with an additional line (though incomplete): “Can you
do anything with”.
This draft letter was written on the reverse side of an Apple sales report which
measures 8-1/2” x 13”. This printed sheet dates from 1971 and features sales
figures for the latest Apple LP and single releases by John, Yoko and Paul
McCartney. The date of “October 26, 1971” appears on the report and it is safe
to assume that Lennon’s note was written not long afterward. There is some
modest wear and creasing on the sheet.
John Lennon handwritten material from this period of his life is very scarce and
the content of this note, which ties it directly to his infamous political
activities, makes it a very rare and desirable piece…..$12,500
SOLD
PH3. A Color Magazine Photo Signed By The Beatles
Authentic signed photos of The Beatles are a rare
commodity, especially color images like this one. Carefully removed from an
early British fan magazine, this photo measures 11 ¾” x 9” and features an image
of the group in their light gray collarless suits as photographed by the
legendary Dezo Hoffmann in mid-1963. All signatures date from August/September
1963 and each Beatle has signed in blue ballpoint pen above or on his respective
image. The page is in good condition, with some scuffing to the maroon photo
background, minor creasing and small tape stains in the lower left- and
right-hand corners. When you consider that fewer than 20 fully-signed color
images of The Beatles have surfaced to date, you begin to grasp the extreme
scarcity of this item…..$12,500
RESERVED
SI 3. THE BEATLES 1961 HAMBLETON HALL PAY RECEIPT BOOKS
There was a time when The Beatles earned just a few pounds a night and the venues were so rough, survival skills were as important as playing ability. In 1961, few places were as violent as Hambleton Hall in suburban Liverpool. Fights would routinely break out as groups of ‘teddy boys’ (roughnecks) settled their differences with chains, chairs, broken bottles, fists and fire extinguishers -- all while the band played on stage just a few feet away. But, for all its violence, this dingy dive was also an essential proving ground for every emerging Mersey band.
Beginning on January 25, 1961, The Beatles played a total of sixteen times at Hambleton Hall. By the time they played there for the last time - on January 13, 1962 - they had been discovered by Brian Epstein. Their new manager made it clear to them that this was not the type of place he wanted them to play.
Here are three of the earliest Beatles signed documents in existence: original 1961 pay receipt books used for three The Beatles gigs at Hambleton Hall in Fincham, Huyton on the outskirts of Liverpool !
After a wild, raucous evening of playing, it was customary for one designated member of the band to go into Hambleton Hall's makeshift business office to collect the band's pay for the night. The others would spend that time loading out their equipment. Vic Anton filled out each receipt page and, once it was signed by the band member, he would then pay the group's fee in cash.
Three of the pages in these books have been signed by members of The Beatles; John Lennon (as "J.W. Lennon") and Paul McCartney (as "J.P. McCartney") signed receipts for pay inside the larger of the books and George Harrison signed for their money in the smaller book.
The first appearance of a Beatles signature is on the receipt for Wednesday night, February 22, 1961, the band’s fifth appearance there. John Lennon signed for their pay of 10 pounds. Earlier that day, the group had played the Aintree Institute where they had received 7 pounds, two shillings. On the bill with The Beatles that night were Faron and The Tempest Tornadoes and Rory Storm and The Hurricanes (with Ringo on drums). The hall’s penchant for violence is evident in the fact that more than half of the receipts in each book were made out to bouncers and doormen. In some cases, several bouncers were required in one night. Eight bouncers were paid that evening, indicating a particularly rough night at the hall. As paltry as it may seem, a night’s pay of eight pounds or more for the band was actually quite good in 1961. This amount was split among all members, with Neil Aspinall usually receiving one pound for transporting their equipment to and from the gig having just been hired as their roadie.
On Monday evening, March 20, 1961, Paul McCartney (age 18) signed for their night’s pay of seven-pound-ten. The Beatles shared the stage that night with The Ravens (who received a mere four pounds).
The next appearance of The Beatles in these two books is Sunday, November 26, 1961. George Harrison (age 18) signed for their pay that evening. With their local popularity on the rise, the group received a whopping 15 pounds (which was more than the combined earnings of all the other acts that night: The Cyclones, The Strangers and The Jeanaros). This billing is a complete contradiction of the original advertised line-up, proving that bands often changed at the last minute.
The real beauty of these extraordinary documents is that they perfectly encapsulate the entire Liverpool beat scene of the early 1960s. In addition to The Beatles, they are signed by members of virtually all the major Liverpool bands from that remarkable era. Within these books, you'll find receipts signed by members of Gerry and The Pacemakers, Rory Storm and The Hurricanes, The Big Three, Derry and The Seniors, Kingsize Taylor and The Dominoes, Johnny Sandon and The Searchers, Ricky and The Red Streaks, Faron and The Tempest Tornadoes and Earl Preston and The T.T.s. They also feature several long-forgotten bands like Oggi and The Flintstones, The Galvanizers, Johnny Rocco and The Jets, Ray and The Del Renas and Dixie and The Daredevils.
According to reports, these receipt books were originally the property of the late Bob Wooler, legendary compere of the Cavern Club. Wooler, along with his business partner Vic Anton (a used car salesman by day) promoted shows at Hambleton Hall throughout 1961 and Wooler, in fact, also served as emcee at these shows.
More than likely, there were one or two other Hambleton Hall receipt books from that year as these two only cover six months (February-April and October until early December). While it was not the safest or most desirable setting, it is clear from the books that Hambleton Hall was still one of the more popular venues for beat shows in 1961.
This is a rare opportunity to own a pair of historically significant pre-fame artifacts – so ‘pre-fame’ in fact that they didn’t make the first U.S. trip until more than three years following the first Hambleton Hall gig – and three years is an eternity when it comes to early Beatles history. The books measure 6 ¾” x 3” (John and Paul) and 4 ½” x 1 ¾” (George), and are in very good overall condition considering the extensive use they had throughout 1961 and the fact that nearly 50 years that have passed since. These are the only known Beatles Liverpool pay receipt books that have ever been made available for sale. The Beatles’ signatures contained within them are among the earliest known examples, as very few pre-1962 signatures have ever been documented.
These pay receipt books are steeped in early Beatles history, and they are among very few similar items in existence that could have easily have been lost forever or destroyed. Instead, they survived and are ready to be at home within any significant collection of elite Beatles memorabilia …..$35,000
