A prized set of Beatles’ autographs from their famous Royal Variety Performance appearance will go on sale later this month.
The night is best remembered for when John Lennon said to the crowd ahead of the group’s last song: “For our last number I’d like to ask your help. To the people in the cheaper seats clap your hands, and the rest of you, if you’d just rattle your jewellery.”
The remark brought peals of laughter, but it was also a special evening for Fiona James, whose father, actor Gerald James, also performed for the Queen Mother on November 4 1963.
She wanted the signatures of the Fab Four, and the moment her father passed a pen to John Lennon was captured on camera, with fellow band member Ringo Starr in the foreground.
She also obtained the signatures of the other two Beatles, Paul McCartney and George Harrison, at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London.
Mr James had performed in the show as one of the Pickwickians with Harry Secombe.
The signatures on two pieces of paper, along with the photograph and a full letter of provenance, are expected fetch up to £5,000 at auction.
They will go on sale in the Beatles Memorabilia Auction at the Cato Crane auction rooms in Liverpool on Saturday August 27.
Other items up for auction are a Selcol Jnr Beatles Guitar – the size of a ukulele – attached to its original backing card, and an original Cavern Club brick complete with box and receipt.
The brick was bought for £5 but is estimated to sell for up to £600, with proceeds to Liverpool cancer charity The Bloom Appeal.
For further details visit www.beatlesauction.co.uk
