It took me years to write….

There have been so many books written about the Beatles. Sadly very few have any monetary value.

Books from the time are popular with fans, but condition is everything with these items. Loose, damaged or missing pages, tears and creases and damaged spines all have a very big effect on the value of a book.

The edition of the book is also relevant. Many of the books have gone through numerous reprints over the years.  Mind you some books had numerous reprints in the same year that they were first issued. For example – John’s two books from the sixties In His Own Write and A Spaniard In The Works were reprinted several times due to high demand in the months after release.

Here’s a lot for our auction which consists of both of his sixties books. The In His Own Write dates from the year of release but is a second edition. The copy of A Spaniard In The Works is a first edition.

Together they have an estimate of £60-£70.

 

Before the release of the Beatles Anthology Book, the only fully authorised biography of the Beatles was the 1968 book The Beatles by Hunter Davies. The book as been revised and reprinted constantly since then.

This first edition hardcover with dust jacket is going up for sale in our auction for an estimated £25-£35.

 

 

If you have anything you would like valued or considered for placement into the auction our contact details can be found by following the link above. Please read the FAQs first. We are already taking items in for the August 2012 event and we can only include a certain amount of items in the auction so it is better to come to us well in advance of the closing date for lots. (Which is usually the beginning of June) Valuations are completely free. We do not value autographs without seeing them. If contacting us by mail or email please include a clear photograph. If contacting us via telephone please have any items to hand in case there are questions we need answering about the item. When bringing items in for valuation please contact us before hand to make sure that the person who does our valuations is available.

Beatles Crockery

The blue transfer plates and cups crop up often in our auctions and 2012 is no different.

So far we a nice selection of these items. They are a nice affordable way to have an original item that looks great on display.

Two biscuit plates.

These are for sale in a lot together, they carry an estimate of £ 80-£90

A plate with a Washington Pottery stamp on the reverse. Not all the Washington Pottery plates have the stamp, but they still date from the same time. However anything with this blue Beatles pattern and a gold rim is a reproduction from a later era.

The plate is estimated at £30- £40

Beatles mugs or cups came with different stamps or imprint on the base. This one is embossed with “Vogue Tams England 64” on the base.

It has an estimate of £40-£50.

 

If you have anything you would like valued or considered for placement into the auction our contact details can be found by following the link above. Please read the FAQs first. We are already taking items in for the August 2012 event and we can only include a certain amount of items in the auction so it is better to come to us well in advance of the closing date for lots. (Which is usually the beginning of June) Valuations are completely free. We do not value autographs without seeing them. If contacting us by mail or email please include a clear photograph. If contacting us via telephone please have any items to hand in case there are questions we need answering about the item. When bringing items in for valuation please contact us before hand to make sure that the person who does our valuations is available.

A small piece of Mersey Beat history

We get some interesting little snapshots of history in the auction.

For example, here’s a receipt on Mersey Beat headed notepaper for copies of the magazine stocked by the Jacaranda Club (owned by The Beatles’ former manager Allan Williams).  The document is dated 14th March 1962 and includes a mention of issue 13 which is the famous Poll Winners edition of Mersey Beat from January 1962 with the Beatles topping the poll.

While the item isn’t of a high monetary value, the estimate is £40-£50, it is a fascinating (and affordable) slice of history. It features a well known issue of a historic Merseyside music magazine and a club, and its owner, with strong links to the  whole Beatles story.

Two more McCartney signatures

We have recently taken in two more Paul McCartney signatures for the auction in August.

As with the previous post the signatures come from two different eras of Paul’s career.

The autograph on this cigarette packet was obtained in Rhyl in 1963 when the Beatles played at Ritz Ballroom in July that year.

It has an estimate of £250-£300.

 

 

The second autograph has an interesting story attached to it. The vendor used to work for Hoover and a colleague had to go on a call to Jean Boht’s house. Jean Boht was the star of the popular sitcom Bread, playing the matriarchal Ma Boswell. The vendor was a fan of the series and asked if her colleague would get her an autograph. They did, and they also got an autograph from the other person visiting Jean Boht that day, who just happened to be Paul McCartney. The autograph also features a smiley face drawn by Paul which adds to the appeal of the signature.  It carries an estimate of £400-£450. 

McCartney Signatures

Autographs feature heavily in our auction each year. We’ve already taken some in for the 2012 event.

We have two Paul McCartney autographs from different eras of his career.

First of all here’s a signature from the 70s on the back of a Wings postcard. It was signed in Glasgow.

It has an estimate of £350-£450.

Next here’s one in a copy of Blackbird Singing, which was signed at WH Smiths in Liverpool. Fans waited out overnight in wintery conditions to meet Paul at this signing event.

It has an estimate of £450-£500

The value of autographs very much depends on what the signature is on. Books, records and on the front of photographs or postcards are the most desirable. With the exception of signatures in books, most of the time people are looking for something they can frame up with the minimum of fuss. The condition of the signed item also has an effect on the price.

We will never give a valuation on signed items without seeing them first.