For Immediate Release 17 October 2011

Contact:

Leonie Pitts

+44 (0)20 7752 3121

lpitts@christies.com

INVITATION TO AUDITION FOR THE BEATLES

DISCOVERED AT A CAR BOOT SALE:

FROM PAUL MCCARTNEY
Dated 12 Aug 1960

South Kensington A handwritten letter by Paul McCartney, dated 12 August 1960, inviting an unknown drummer to audition for The Beatles, has been discovered folded-up inside a book, by an anonymous collector at a car boot sale in Bootle, Liverpool. Revealing new details about the early history of The Beatles, the letter is also one of the earliest occasions that the band referred to themselves as The Beatles. It is not known who the note was addressed to, or if an audition took place. Three days later, on 15th August 1960, The Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Stuart Sutcliffe, along with drummer Pete Best) travelled to Hamburg, where they performed for almost two months. The letter is expected to fetch 7,000 to 9,000 when it is sold at Christies POPULAR CULTURE: Rock and Pop Memorabilia auction on 15 November 2011. Within the auction, the Paul McCartney letter is one of a substantial section of over thirty lots dedicated to The Beatles and its individual band members.

Neil Roberts, Director of Popular Culture, Christies, commented, One of the best aspects of my work is the rare occasion when, out of the blue, you are made aware of the existence of something so extraordinary, it alters the knowledge of your specialist field. This letter has proved to be such a case. My initial reaction was one of disbelief, but on seeing the item and being able to research the significance of the date and its content as well as conferring with renowned Beatles historians, it has turned out to be much more significant than mere words on paper. It is exciting to be able to offer to market a newly discovered important item of Beatles memorabilia, on behalf of an individual who was fortunate enough to find it folded up in a book at a car boot sale. The man who discovered the piece wishes to remain anonymous, he is from Liverpool, and is a collector of antique coins. An avid follower of many antiques-related television shows, he regularly attends local car boot sales, scouring the stalls for hidden treasures. Through his interest in the world of collectibles, he has developed a habit of buying all manner of collectors guides. The letter by Paul McCartney was found within a general collectable price guide purchased in early 2011, as he was adding it to his bookshelf alongside similar reference books he owns.

Historic Significance
The significance of this letter in the development of The Beatles is due to the exact time it was written. It is known that the advertisement (Box KP 60), placed in the Liverpool Echo on the 8th August simply read Drummer Young Free, but the identity of the person who placed it remains a mystery. Dated 12 August 1960, McCartneys response to the advert was written only four days after John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Stuart Sutcliffe had verbally committed themselves to travel to Hamburg on 15th August as a five-piece band the advert had appeared at an opportune time for The Beatles. Before the discovery of this letter, it was not known that The Beatles were searching for a fifth member so close to their departure for Hamburg, and it was thought that Pete Best was the only option they considered, through their associations with the Jacaranda Club. From an historical perspective, the letter also enlightens us that The Beatles knew more about their forthcoming trip than previously believed. McCartneys note refers to the approximate level of expenses they would be paid, as well as the duration of the contract: expenses paid 18 per week (approx.) for 2 months. The contract was signed on 15th August. Before now it was not known that The Beatles were aware before going that they would be in Hamburg for two months. It is not known if McCartneys letter was responded to, if an audition took place or if time was so against them, it left no alternative but for Pete Best to travel with them to Hamburg to fulfill their contract. Best was dismissed from the band two years later, and replaced by Ringo Starr.

Further Highlights
Commencing a busy month for Christies Popular Culture department in London, the dedicated Rock and Pop Memorabilia auction is the first of three Popular Culture sales on offer at Christies in November. The sale will be held on 15 November 2011 at 1.00pm, comprising over 200 highly collectable items. With estimates from only 300 the range of instruments, clothing, posters, awards, signed items and ephemera once owned, worn, played or inscribed by International legends of the music industry on offer, provides fans with the perfect opportunity to get closer to one of their idols.

Further highlights offered within the sale include: One of the most prominent, and almost certainly the most symbolic and emblematic placard from the historic Montreal, Bed-In for Peace, 1969 (estimate: 80,000-100,000). Executed by John Lennon, and reading BED PEACE, the sign of black marker pen on white card measuring 71 x 56 centimetres was displayed on the window directly above John and Yoko's bed in Suite 1742, the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montreal, Canada for the entirety of the event which was covered extensively by the worlds media. The placard is signed in black pen John Lennon 1969 Montreal and in green pen Yoko Ono '69, with additional characteristic caricatures of the couple, also in Lennon's hand. The piece was acquired by a freelance sound engineer who was present after the event. He passed it onto a colleague, whose family have retained it ever since. This is the first time that this unique historic placard has ever been offered at auction.
(Setting The Stage. Photo by Gerry Deiter 1969. Copyright Joan Athey www.artvisionexhibitions.com NOT A HANDOUT)

Another particularly exciting lot is a set of thirty photographs of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, to be sold with copyright (estimate: 10,000-15,000). Hounded by the UK Press, in March 1969 John Lennon and Yoko Ono left London and retreated to Paris. There they secretly organized their wedding and devised a plan to honeymoon with a spectacular Amsterdam happening. French journalist Henry Pessar accompanied the pair, exclusively capturing up close and personal shots of this two-week period that shocked the world. Offered directly from the collection of Henry Pessar, the scenes captured include everyday routine tasks such as perusing a flea market and buying a pair of jeans, through to socializing with Salvador Dali illustrated left, and a variety of individual moments at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel honeymoon happening including filling in Prousts questionnaire. Since 1984 the Band Aid Trust has raised over $190 million to help alleviate hunger and poverty in Africa. The sale includes a selection of items (Lots 114-131) donated or autographed to generate money for the work that still needs to be done. Memorabilia relating to Status Quo, Mick Jagger, Sting, Sade, Phil Collins and Pink Floyd, as well as many other musicians who took part in the Live Aid and Live 8 concerts feature. The selection is led by a Roger Giffin/Schecter guitar owned by Pete Townshend and used during The Who's set at Live Aid, Wembley Stadium, 13 July 1985 (estimate: 30,000-50,000). Donated directly by Pete Townshend, the guitar is accompanied by a signed letter from him concerning the provenance in which he refers to the unusual way that Sir Bob Geldof convinced them to take part, stating After heavy pressure from Bob Geldof, The Who agreed to reform for a one-off appearance at Live Aid.... I used my Black Schecter Telecaster on the last two numbers... It was a great day and I'm glad I was part of it. I think The Who are one of the few acts who appeared at Live Aid and Live 8 twenty years later.

### High resolution images and further information available upon request http://www.christies.com/departments/popular-culture-73-1.aspx
NOTES TO EDITORS: Public Exhibition: Saturday 12 November: 11.00am 5.00pm Sunday 13 November: 11.00am 5.00pm Monday 14 November: 9.00am 7.30pm Tuesday 15 November: 9.00am midday Auction: POPULAR CULTURE: Rock and Pop Memorabilia 15 November 2011 at 1.00pm Ecatalogue: The full catalogue will be available to view online from 21 October at www.christies.com/calendar Christies and The Beatles For more than twenty years, longer than any other International auction house, Christies has consistently sold the most important memorabilia relating to The Beatles and John Lennon. The Beatles are not only the biggest-selling band in history, but they also command the largest collector-base in the world of music through a global fan base. Quality memorabilia relating to the band and any of its members is amongst the most sought-after on the popular culture market. Christies has sold nine individual Beatles-related items for over 100,000, including the legendary hand-painted bass drumskin used on the front cover of The Beatles ground-breaking 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band for 541,250 in July 2008. The following year a 1958 Hofner Senator Guitar once owned by John Lennon sold at Christies for 205,250. In July 2011 a collection of unpublished photographs of The Beatles first concerts in the US sold by the photographer himself, Mike Mitchell, was 100% sold, achieving 224,401 far exceeding the pre-sale estimate. Memorabilia from the Bed-In for Peace has also fetched top prices in the past, with the rare and important set of lyrics for Give Peace A Chance written by John Lennon in Suite 1742 at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montreal, Canada, during the historic Bed-In for Peace, 1969 realising 421,250 at Christies in 2008. A rare oversized double self-portrait caricature of John Lennon and Yoko Ono executed at the Bed-In sold for 37,250 in 2010, and in 2009 a rare placard with the motto L'Amour Et La Paix [Love and Peace] 1969, written in John Lennon's hand fetched 73,250. Popular Culture at Christies Christies was the first auction house to offer sales dedicated to music and entertainment memorabilia more than twenty years ago. The Popular Culture department at Christies is based in South Kensington, and offers three different sale genres each year Rock and Pop Memorabilia, Film and Entertainment Memorabilia, and Vintage Film Posters, as well as single-owner collections and celebrity estate sales. Popular Culture is a diverse category that ranges from autographs and awards through to lyrics, celebrity worn clothing and played instruments, film props, animation art and film posters. Such items have contributed to the delight of generations, and helped build an International collectors market driven by passion. Stand-out single-owner sales previously held at Christies have included The Personal Property of Marilyn Monroe in 1999 through to Eric Claptons charity sale the Crossroads Guitar Auction in 2004, and 40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection in 2006 from the CBS Paramount Television archives, all of which far-exceeded pre-sale expectations to achieve multi-million pound totals and break records. Individual world record prices have been achieved for a dress made for a film with the sale of the little black dress designed by Hubert de Givenchy for Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffanys, 1961 it sold for 467,200 / $923,187 in 2006; and a miniature model of the Starship Enterprise-D used in Star Trek: The Next Generation set the record price for a piece of Science Fiction Memorabilia and a record price for a prop used in a television series when it sold for $576,000 / 308,021. In December 2010 the Walther air pistol held by Sean Connery for the poster campaign for Russia With Love, 1963 achieved the world record price for a James Bond gun sold at auction when it sold for 277,250 / $437,501. In June 2011 the original hand-painted concept artwork for Diamonds are Forever achieved the highest price ever paid for James Bond film poster memorabilia, selling for 79,250 / $129,495. Christies South Kensington Open seven days a week, Christies South Kensington is one of the busiest salerooms in the UK, annually holding over 100 sales and offering more than 20,000 lots. The recently refurbished saleroom facilities and exhibition spaces provide one of the most accessible, well lit and welcoming sales arenas in the world, consistently attracting over 200,000 visitors a year. Interiors sales dedicated to home furnishings are held three times a month alongside monthly Sunday sales of single-owner collections, and specialised sales for the avid collector are scheduled throughout the

year according to category. Every lot is beautifully illustrated in a large scale magazine-style catalogue and in an online e-catalogue. Christies South Kensington appeals to a worldwide audience in 2010 bidders originated from over 50 countries, with around 20% of bidders taking part in auctions from the comfort of their own home or office, using Christies unique online bidding facility, Christies LIVE. CHRISTIES SOUTH KENSINGTON 85 Old Brompton Road, London, SW7 3LD OPENING SEVEN DAYS A WEEK Monday: 9.00am 7.30pm Tuesday Friday: 9.00am 5.00pm Saturday & Sunday: 11.00am - 5.00pm WWW.CHRISTIES.COM Prices do not include buyers premium