£7,000 at Lichfield auction for Beatles autograph book of fan whose arm was signed by John, Paul, George and Ringo

Fab record of 1960s pop culture

AN autograph book featuring the signatures of all four Beatles plus George Harrison’s broken guitar string has sold at auction in Lichfield for £7,000.

The album went under the hammer with Richard Winterton Auctioneers today, Monday, February 2.

The signatures were obtained by Portsmouth teenager Elizabeth Salt – or Liz McBrierty, as she was then – who encountered John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr when the group played the Savoy Ballroom in Southsea on Sunday, April 7, 1963.

Super-fan Elizabeth, now 79, from Lichfield, even had the band sign her arm – much to the later consternation of her dad.

“We were sat around the stage when George Harrison broke his guitar string and I picked it up,” she said.

“Afterwards they went into a room and we all just piled in. That’s when I got their autographs on my left arm – I just held it out asking them to sign and they did!

“I was still at school and wanted to show all my friends the next day but when I got home my dad said ‘you’ll get blood poisoning!’ and made me wash it straight off. I was heartbroken!”

Fortunately, the fanatical teen still had the autographs signed in her book – and George’s snapped string.

It was one of many times the North End teenager encountered the group as Beatlemania swept the UK and Elizabeth’s autograph book is a celebration of one the most exciting periods for pop culture in British history.

It also contains a further George Harrison signature and those of Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney again on another separate page.

Other 1960s stars in the book include the Rolling Stones, a Cliff Richard signed photo and separate autograph, Adam Faith, Del Shannon, Bobby Vee, Tony Orlando, Dion, Billy Fury, Marty Wilde, Mark Wynter, Eden Kane, Shane Fenton – later reborn as Alvin Stardust.

The album attracted a huge amount of interest when it went under the hammer at The Lichfield Auction Centre, Wood End Lane, Fradley Park, on Monday, February 2.

People watched the sale online from all over the world as potential buyers battled it out on the internet and against two telephone bidders.

The hammer finally went down at £7,000 as the book sold to an online bidder in the UK.

Now a grandmother-of-four, Elizabeth remains a huge Beatles fan and sentimentally points to the group’s first LP, Please Please Me, as her favourite.

She stayed in Portsmouth until the 1980s, eventually moving to Lichfield to be closer to her two daughters, and has been married to second husband Peter for 27 years in March.

Before retirement, Elizabeth worked as a legal secretary specialising in conveyancing.

Rob French, ephemera valuer at Richard Winterton Auctioneers, said: “This fascinating book was a fabulous record of Elizabeth’s experience of one of British history’s most exciting periods for pop culture.

“We were delighted with the result for this remarkable lady and thank her for sharing her story with us.

“Elizabeth was in the room to witness the thrill of a live auction first-hand and it was wonderful to watch her reactions as the bids just kept on coming. She was delighted with the result, as are we all.

“Buoyed by Elizabeth’s personal story and excellent provenance, the auction attracted a huge amount of interest culminating in an exciting sale and well-deserved hammer price, which is one of our best results for Beatles autographs.”

To arrange a free valuation of autographs, posters and all other types of ephemera and memorabilia, or to enquire about a home visit for large collections or house clearances, email office@richardwinterton.co.uk or call 01543 251081.

Rob French will also be offering free, drop-in valuations of autographs and ephemera at The Auction Café in Market Street, Lichfield, from 9.30am to 12.30pm on Wednesday, February 4.