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A fully autographed copy of The Beatles’ 1965 album Help! signed by Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison could sell for upwards of £12,000 at Anderson & Garland’s Music Auction on October 23 in Newcastle.
The album is being offered with an estimate of £8,000-£12,000 and has been consigned by Durham resident, Mrs Annie Newby.
A letter from the original owner reads: “This Beatles record cover ‘Help’ was signed for myself in 1965 by all four members of the group, when they all returned to Liverpool, of that year. Their close friend and also one of mine, Paddy Delaine (once doorman of The Cavern Club in Liverpool’s Mathew St). He took me to obtain their signature in the Liverpool Hotel Adelphi. As I still remember I was very shy in asking George for his signature, as he was in deep conversation with someone but as he put pen to cover he completed one of my dreams at the time, which was [to obtain] The Beatles autographs. John and Ringo have signed above themselves, both Paul and George below. All signatures were signed in black ball point pen. This is a sworn true statement by myself. [signed by the original owner].”
The autographs were purchased by music enthusiast Bob Todd in September 1989. When Bob was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia in 1990, he gave the signed album to his close friend, Max Newby, who also had a strong love of music and particularly The Beatles.
Sadly, Bob passed away just months later in February 1991. Now, eight years after Max’s own passing, his wife, Mrs. Annie Newby, has decided that the time is right to part with the album.
“The signed album brought both Max and Bob immense joy,” Mrs. Newby recalled. “I still remember the day Bob bought it, he was so excited to show it to Max. He brought it straight to our house and they spent hours talking about The Beatles, their history, and what it must have been like at The Cavern Club in the early 1960s. They stayed up until two in the morning, just staring at the album and feeling where the pen had indented the album.
“After many years on display in my home, I feel it’s time to pass this special piece of music history on to another fan who will appreciate it as much as Max and Bob did. It’s important to me that it finds a loving home.”
The autographs are to be sold with the written provenance from the original owner as well as a Christie’s receipt for an insurance valuation which was taken out in January 1989. By repute, the vendor took the autographs to Beatles memorabilia specialists ‘Tracks’ a number of years ago, but she declined their offer to buy the album at the time.
1965 would be the last time The Beatles would perform in Liverpool, for two sold-out shows at the Liverpool Empire Theatre on December 5.
Neil Aspinall, the band’s road manager detailed the trip day in a diary entry for Monday December 6, stating that rather than staying at a hotel for the Liverpool date, the boys chose to stay at their homes. The group then had a well-earned day of rest the day following the concert in Liverpool and spent time with friends, which is when the boys may have been together at The Adelphi. The group’s chauffeur, Alf Bicknell commented in his own diary entry for December 6: “Quite quiet today, just a bit of running around, dropping the boys off at various places and picking them up. Met some nice people. We’re off to Manchester in the morning, shouldn’t be any bother, everything’s going very well.”
The disc itself dates correctly to 1965, being an early copy of Help! With -2 matrix’ on both sides. It also boasts a rare ‘MT’ tax code. Their next album Rubber Soul was released on Friday December 3, just days before the Liverpool concert.
There are thought to be less than 100 signed Beatles albums in circulation, with only two signed copies of the Abbey Road LP having surfaced. A signed copy of the group’s final album, Let It Be, has never been seen.
