A US auction has seen a signed copy of The Beatles’ album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band sell for £191,000 ($290,500).
The album’s estimated sale price was £19,700 ($30,000).
According to the Hollywood Reporter the rare LP record was bought by an unnamed buyer from the Midwest.
The entertainment magazine said the sale broke the previous record for a similar item.
The copy of the album, a UK Parlophone copy, includes a high gloss cover and vinyl gatefold sleeve. The Hollywood Reporter said it was thought to have been signed by all four Beatles close to its release in June 1967.
The sale was run by the Dallas-based Heritage Auctions. It described the sale as “one of the most spectacular jewels in our auction”.
Beatles expert Perry Cox said before the sale: “With my being thoroughly immersed in Beatles collectibles for over 30 years, it takes something extraordinarily special to excite me, but I consider this to be one of the top two items of Beatles memorabilia I’ve ever seen – the other being a signed copy of Meet The Beatles.”
The album includes an official souvenir programme of the fourth annual Beatles Convention of Cavern Mecca, which is dated August 26th, 1984.
The previous record for a Beatles album cover which was signed was £98,600 ($150,000). This was paid for a copy of the 1964 record Meet the Beatles, back in 2011.
It always amazes me what memorabilia can fetch at auction. It just goes to show there is still money out there. I can’t help thinking £191,000 could be put to better use, but then it’s not my money.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21993483