AUTOGRAPHS of all four members of The Beatles collected by a teenage fan in 1963 are being sold by a Lichfield auctioneer.
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr signed the photograph of the group before a gig in the Midlands.
It will go under the hammer at Richard Winterton Auctioneers on 29th September.
The seller, 74-year-old Chris Barrows, said his late brother Phil was at the Coventry Theatre in 1963 with their father Ron, who was Steinway’s chief piano tuner for the Midlands area.
He explained:
“My dad came home one day and said he was going to tune the piano ahead of The Beatles’ show and other performances.
“I didn’t go as at that time I was more interested in football, but my brother had been playing guitar for six months and went along.”
The Beatles were already there when the pair arrived – and the boys’ dad had to ask Ringo to stop playing the drums so he could work.
That gave Phil a chance to visit the group in their dressing room, with the budding guitarist even enjoying a quick jam with the stars.
Chris said:
“He played guitar with John Lennon and Paul McCartney – and even had a go on Paul’s left-handed bass.”
Phil also returned with a photo signed by the group, with the personal message ‘To Philip best wishes from The Beatles’ written in blue ink at the top of the picture.
John Lennon’s signature is in the top left-hand corner, with Ringo Starr’s autograph cloaked by the group’s dark suits, but still visible due to the impression of the pen.
George Harrison’s and Paul McCartney’s signatures are on the reverse side of the photograph.
Rob French, valuer at Richard Winterton Auctioneers, said:
“This is a super set of all four autographs from the biggest band in the world, signed right on the cusp of Beatlemania.
“The precise date of the meeting is not remembered by the vendor, but it was possibly November 1963 as The Beatles played the Coventry Theatre on 17th November in that year.
“What a thrill it must have been for this young music fan to not only meet The Fab Four, but to get all of their autographs with a personal dedication.”
The signed photograph is expected to fetch between £1,500 and £2,000. For more details visit www.richardwinterton.co.uk/auctions/auction-calendar.