Beatles Autographs
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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
SA2. A “Sgt. Pepper” LP Cover Signed In The Gatefold By Paul
McCartney and Ringo Starr
Over the past 40 years, The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album has been lauded by fans and critics alike as the crowning achievement of the band’s recording career. It has consistently topped music industry polls as the most significant and influential LP in the history of popular music. Here is a pristine copy of a “Sgt. Pepper” LP cover which has been signed by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr beautifully in the center gatefold. Paul signed this cover on November 20, 2005 while at Love Field airport in Dallas, Texas. The signature is in black sharpie marker, and is an excellent example of his current signature, despite having crossed over the center of the gatefold. Ringo has signed in blue sharpie marker on June 15, 2006, in Toronto, Canada. Both signatures were obtained by one of the premiere in-person autograph obtainers in North America. The “Sgt. Pepper” gatefold photo is one of the most iconic images ever taken of The Beatles. When opened, the measurements of this signed gatefold are 24” x 12”. Once framed, this excellent signed LP cover would make a fabulous display piece…..$4,500
SA1. A “Meet The Beatles” LP Cover Signed By The Beatles !!
“Meet The Beatles” was released on the U.S. Capitol Records label on January 20, 1964, eighteen days before the band arrived in New York to make their legendary first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. The album kicked off with “I Want To Hold Your Hand” (which was America’s #1 hit single when The Beatles landed) and was a mix of singles and album cuts taken directly from their second British LP, the November 1963 Parlophone Records release entitled “With The Beatles”. In the week prior to the band’s February 7, 1964 arrival at JFK Airport, “Meet The Beatles” rocketed from number 92 on the Billboard album chart to number 3. One week later, the album was sitting firmly at the top of the chart, proving to America that The Beatles were indeed worth the enormous hype that preceded their arrival.
This first issue mono album cover was signed for a CBS lighting technician* who was working The Ed Sullivan Show the night of The Beatles’ debut appearance on February 9, 1964. All four have signed the back cover of the album jacket beautifully in blue ballpoint pen.** George Harrison has signed in the top left-hand corner, while Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and John Lennon have signed in that order directly above the classic Dezo Hoffmann collarless suit standing pose. The cover is in near-mint condition and it is evident that the album was put away for safekeeping immediately after it was signed. Consequently, very few people have ever handled this prize. U.S. Capitol Records LP covers signed by The Beatles are incredibly rare.*** For many collectors, this “Meet The Beatles” album cover represents the holy grail of signed Beatles collectibles.
The Beatles live American debut on The Ed Sullivan Show remains one the most significant cultural touchstones of the 20th Century. To own a “Meet The Beatles” album signed on that monumental day - not only in Beatles history but in music history - is in fact owning a piece of music history. This is as good as it gets.
* This item comes with a signed statement from the sister of the CBS
lighting technician, who is deceased.
** The Beatles signed on the reverse of the album cover, as was true for over 90% of the covers they autographed. They had gotten into the habit of signing the backs of LP jackets very early on in 1963 because their British LP covers had a thick laminate on the front which greatly affected the ballpoint pens of the day, resulting in ink that skipped, if the ink even took at all. However, the backs were a paper stock which would more easily accommodate both ballpoint and fountain pen ink. Though American LPs had ‘ink-friendly’ slicks on the front, The Beatles still signed the majority of them on the reverse (as they did the UK LPs) just by force of habit.
*** This is the first fully-signed U.S. Capitol Records LP cover that I’ve ever had the pleasure to feature on this website since its inception in 2002. In fact, it’s the first fully-signed American Beatles LP I’ve had at all since 1999. When you consider that dealing in Beatles autographs is my full-time business – something I do every day of the year – you begin to understand the astonishing rarity of this LP.
