Rare Beatles Memorabilia Fetches £7,000 at Staffordshire Auction
A remarkable piece of British pop culture history has changed hands for a substantial sum at auction in Lichfield. An autograph book containing the signatures of all four Beatles members, accompanied by George Harrison's actual broken guitar string from a 1963 performance, has sold for £7,000 through Richard Winterton Auctioneers.
A Teenage Fan's Extraordinary Encounter
The album's remarkable story begins with Elizabeth Salt, then known as Liz McBrierty, a teenage super-fan from Portsmouth who encountered the Fab Four during their performance at the Savoy Ballroom in Southsea on Sunday, April 7, 1963. Now 79 and living in Lichfield, Elizabeth vividly recalls the extraordinary evening that would create this valuable piece of memorabilia.
"We were sat around the stage when George Harrison broke his guitar string and I picked it up," Elizabeth recounted. "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!"
The teenage excitement was tempered by parental concern when she returned home. "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 determined fan had secured their signatures in her album as well, preserving this precious memento of British music history.
A Comprehensive Collection of 1960s Stardom
The album represents far more than just a Beatles souvenir. It serves as a comprehensive record of Elizabeth's experiences during the height of Beatlemania, when she encountered the group multiple times as their popularity swept across the UK. Beyond the primary Beatles page featuring all four signatures alongside Harrison's snapped guitar string, the collection includes:
- A further George Harrison signature
- Additional autographs from Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney on separate pages
- Signatures from numerous other 1960s music icons including:
- The Rolling Stones
- Adam Faith
- Del Shannon
- Bobby Vee
- Tony Orlando
- Dion
- Billy Fury
- Marty Wilde
- Mark Wynter
- Eden Kane
- Shane Fenton (later known as Alvin Stardust)
The collection is further enhanced by a signed photograph and separate autograph from Cliff Richard, making it a truly comprehensive snapshot of British pop culture during one of its most exciting periods.
International Auction Interest and Emotional Sale
When the album went under the hammer at The Lichfield Auction Centre on Wood End Lane, Fradley Park, Staffordshire on Monday, February 2, it attracted significant international attention. Potential buyers from around the world watched the sale online, with bidding competition coming from internet participants and two telephone bidders.
Elizabeth herself was present to witness the auction, experiencing the thrill of the bidding process firsthand. The hammer finally fell at £7,000, with the successful bid coming from an online buyer within the UK.
Rob French, ephemera valuer at Richard Winterton Auctioneers, commented on the significance of the sale: "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."
He added: "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."
A Lifelong Beatles Fan's Legacy
Now a grandmother of four, Elizabeth remains a devoted Beatles enthusiast, sentimentally identifying their first LP, Please Please Me, as her favourite album. Her life journey took her from Portsmouth, where she remained until the 1980s, to Lichfield where she moved to be closer to her two daughters. She has been married to her second husband Peter for 27 years this March, and before retirement worked as a legal secretary specialising in conveyancing.
The sale of her cherished autograph album represents not just a financial transaction, but the passing of a tangible piece of cultural history to a new custodian, preserving the legacy of both the Beatles and the dedicated fans who helped create their legend.
