Signed picture of all 4 Beatles goes below hammer in Lichfield

Autographs of all 4 Beatles, collected by a teenage fan in 1963, have been offered at public sale.

{A photograph} of the group – signed by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, with Starr additionally writing a private dedication on the high – went for £1,900.

It was taken earlier than a gig in Coventry initially of the Beatlemania period, and went below the hammer on Monday with Richard Winterton Auctioneers in Lichfield.

Seller Chris Barrows, 74, mentioned his late brother Phil collected the signatures throughout a visit out with their father Ron, who was a piano tuner.

“My dad came home one day and said he was going to tune the piano ahead of The Beatles’ show and other performances,” mentioned Mr Barrows.

“I didn’t go as at that time I was more interested in football, but my brother had been playing guitar for six months and went along.”

The Beatles have been already there when the pair arrived – and the boys’ dad needed to ask Ringo to cease enjoying the drums so he might work.

It gave Mr Barrows’ brother, who died in September, the prospect to go to the band of their dressing room and even get pleasure from a fast jam with the celebrities.

“He played guitar with John Lennon and Paul McCartney and even had a go on Paul’s left-handed bass,” Mr Barrow mentioned.

He returned with a photograph signed by the group, with the private message: “To Philip best wishes from The Beatles.”

The {photograph} had been valued between £1,500 and £2,000.