It is a rare occurrence that I ever come across a Beatles collector and fan whose collection I can say that I truly envy. (In a good way). Thanks to blog administrator, David Bedford, I have been introduced to a 2nd generation Beatles fan that has truly impressed me with the signatures and Beatles-related artifacts that he has acquired for his personal collection in a 20-year time frame. I jokingly told Matt, that our collections combined could form quite the impressive Beatles museum. Many Beatles collectors have a sense of community about their collections. They help their fellow collectors to track rarities down that other collectors may be looking for.
Sometimes the pendulum swings the other way as some collectors can also feel very possessive about the items that they have accumulated during their lifetimes. However, part of the thrill of collecting is the ability to share the thrill of finding something both rare and historical with others that share that common interest. After exchanging a few emails with Attorney Matt, I am pleased to announce that we will be presenting with Matt’s consent some of the rarities in his personal collection as a series of blog posts. I know that you will be as pleased, fascinated, and entertained by these special items as much as I have!
The magic of the Beatles is just as powerful with some 2nd generation fans like Matt
A profile of Matt on a visit to the Beatles birthplace of Liverpool, England along the River Mersey!
Background info:
Matt is an attorney from New England. He is a second-generation Beatles fan but is just barely old enough to have been alive when all four Beatles still were. Matt’s dad, Alex, gave him his love for The Beatles. Alex had seen The Beatles in concert twice and met both Ringo and George in London in 1970. Matt has been collecting and selling Beatles memorabilia for over 20 years now. Focusing entirely on autographs of The Beatles and those who were part of their story and artifacts from places associated with the band. Matt’s collection began unexpectedly and for free. In early 2006, Matt mailed Ringo a copy of a published opinion piece about John Lennon that Matt wrote.
Fast forward a few months later and Matt receives a photo signed by Ringo with a note from his assistant. The first autograph was obtained. A couple of months later, Matt made his first visit to Liverpool, England. While visiting St. Peter’s Church Hall, where John met Paul, the Verger Graham Paisley raffled off an original floorboard from the Hall. Matt didn’t win the floorboard, but before he left the Hall, Verger Paisley gave him a plastic bag with another original floorboard. Verger Paisley told Matt that he could tell that Matt was a true fan and he wanted to gift the floorboard. The first artifact was obtained. Matt decided to begin collecting both artifacts from places associated with The Beatles, and autographs from them and those who were part of their story. This journey has resulted in him meeting and corresponding with many people associated with The Beatles.
Over the years, Matt has been a respected buyer and seller on eBay and has done business with major auction houses throughout the world. Most recently, Matt’s memorabilia company consigned to auction, the original sketches used in the creation of both drumheads used for the Sgt. Pepper album cover photo shoot, Dougie Millings’ original hand drawn and signed patterns for the suits he made for The Beatles to wear in concerts and movies. Matt’s favorite autograph in his collection is from Ivan Vaughan, who introduced Paul to John. That day was the big bang in Beatles history, and it’s always been important to Matt and its effect in shaping his collection.
Ivan didn’t sign many autographs, so anything signed by him is rare. Matt’s favorite artifact is a large piece of the original Cavern Club stage that The Beatles performed on 292 times. When people think of The Beatles and Liverpool, their birth city, they think of the Cavern Club. It’s iconic and legendary and there is just something about holding a piece of that stage that The Beatles performed on. Matt enjoys the thrill of the hunt for artifacts and autographs he is looking for. Meeting and sharing stories about Fab acquisitions with other fans and collectors is a big part of what this 20-year-old journey has been all about. Matt is grateful for the love and support of his family as he’s pursued his collecting passion.
The floorboard from St. Peter’s Church:
NOTE:
Matt has consented to provide us with photographs of select items from his large distinct and unique personal Beatles collection. He has also provided the descriptions of the items presented. We sincerely thank him for his kindness in sharing these with us!
Some of the Beatles-related signatures in Matt’s collection: The first autograph – Sir Richard Starkey
In the first installment about Matt’s Beatles collection, we are going to present some of the background and photos of some select autographs that Matt has acquired in his 20 years of Beatles collecting!
Matt’s collection began unexpectedly and for free. In early 2006, Matt mailed Ringo a copy of a published opinion piece about John Lennon that Matt wrote. Fast forward a few months later and Matt receives a photo signed by Ringo with a note from his assistant.
Woolton Village Fete Flyer signed by all of the Quarrymen that backed John Lennon that historic day & by Sally Wright, the 1957 crowned Rose Queen:
Matt’s signed flyer from the 40th anniversary of the original Woolton Village Fete in July of 1957 when John Lennon met Paul McCartney. All 5 Quarrymen that appeared with John on that day in 1957 signed this wonderful flyer. When I saw this item in Matt’s collection, I knew we shared a very serious passion as I also have a similar signed document in my own collection which will be presented in a future post. It is fabulous that this document was also signed by Sally Wright, the Rose Queen crowned at the 1957 Fete.
Flyer signed by Pete Shotton, Geoff Rhind, Len Garry, Colin Hanton Rod Davis Eric Griffiths and the Rose Queen from 1957 – Sally Wright!
Pics of Matt’s George Martin signed letter. Matt sent Sir George that same article about Lennon that he sent to Ringo. In return, Sir George mailed Matt this signed letter with the article he sent him enclosed. If you look closely, you can see the imprint of the article in the letter from where the ink ran off. Hand signed letters by George Martin are rare but the content makes this letter even more special. Sir George mentions John Lennon, his work with The Beatles, and his work on the music for The Beatles Love show in Las Vegas.
George Martin’s letter to Matt:
Here are the pics of Matt’s Lee Eastman signed letter, and his Allen Klein signed check. These items took him a long time to find. He found them both on eBay a few years ago. The Lee Eastman letter comes with the original envelope. It was signed on Ringo’s 30th birthday and it references Linda and her daughter Heather. Matt paid a hefty sum for the Allen Klein signed check. It’s nearly impossible to find anything by Klein outside of a contract, so he felt compelled to buy it. What’s great about this check is that he made it out to the Apple Scruffs. Matt said he would love to know the story behind this check!
Matt’s signature of the late Lee Eastman. Paul’s former father-in-law and was the head of the legal firm that was representing Paul McCartney ‘s interests when the Beatles were splitting up and afterwards:
Matt’s signature of the most notorious figures in Beatles history, Allen Klein, on a check he wrote to the Apple Scruffs for One Dollar in 1971:
Here are pics of Matt’s items signed by John’s aunt Mimi Smith and Ringo’s daughter Lee Starkey. Beatles’ family members’ autographs run the range of easy to find to nearly impossible to obtain. According to Matt, Zak Starkey is easy to find, but Lee Starkey is very difficult. He found the Lee Starkey autograph from a collector who met her at a Ringo related event. The Mimi Smith autograph is a fun piece that he found many years ago on eBay. Matt, has it displayed with an original hymn book used at St. Peter’s church in the ’40s and ’50s when John and Mimi attended church there with John singing in the choir.
Matt’s signature of John’s Aunt Mimi along with a hymn book from St. Peter’s Church:
Matt’s rare signature of Lee Starkey, one of Ringo’s three children. Jason and Zak Starkey are Lee’s brothers:
Here are pics of Matt’s Prudence Farrow and Francie Schwartz autographs. Both are difficult autographs to find. Matt met Prudence at a Fest for Beatles fans in NY in February 2014. He attended her lecture on Transcendental Meditation and then met her afterwards. She graciously signed this note for him. Francie’s signature is very hard to find. He got this personalized one very recently on eBay. The framing company Matt works with had to work some magic with the matting for this.
Matt’s signature of Francie Schwarz, Paul’s girlfriend during the White Album sessions after he had a permanent falling out with his former girlfriend Jane Asher. Paul was to find his first wife soon when he began to date Linda Eastman!
Here are Matt’s photos of his Alan Civil and Ronnie Scott autographs. Finding anything signed by either of these brass legends is tough. One thing Matt discovered as a collector is that if you know what specific autographs, you’re looking for, you can eventually find them with a bit of patience and repeated internet searches. There are reputable historical (not necessarily pop culture) autograph dealers out there and inventory is always changing. That’s how these two autographs were obtained. Matt states that he probably never would’ve found the Alan Civil signature on eBay. That’s a needle in the haystack!
Matt’s wonderful signature of the horn player on the Beatles great track entitled “For No One”. Alan Civil passed away in 1989 :
This is certainly a very rare signature of Matt’s. The sax player on “Lady Madonna”, Ronnie Scott:
Lady Madonna (Remastered 2015)
Here are pics of Matt’s Bill Smith, Horst Fascher, and Johnny Hutchinson autographs. The Smith and Hutchinson autographs were obtained from a reputable UK based autograph dealer that Matt regularly buys from. The Fascher autograph is great because he’s pictured with The Beatles. Most signed items from him are on convention programs without any such picture!
It has been reported that Bill Smith actually coined the name for the “Quarrymen.” Bill’s tenure with the Quarrymen was a relatively short one:
Matt’s signature of Horst Fascher, the Beatles favorite bouncer who occasionally sang with the Beatles on stage:
Johnny Hutchinson – a substitute drummer at the Blue Angel for the Beatles at the Larry Parnes audition. This is Matt’s signed photo of that occasion. Johnny Hutchinson was considered to be a very tough guy in Liverpool who actually intimidated the so-called tough guy, John Lennon. He was the drummer at one time for the very popular Liverpool group, The Big Three: Look to the right of this framed piece as it also has the signature of Johnny Gentle from the Beatles early sojourn to Scotland!
Here are pics of Matt’s Eddie Kramer, Sir Joseph Lockwood, and Robert Fraser autographs. The Fraser and Lockwood autographs were both purchased from a UK based autograph dealer. The Eddie Kramer autograph was removed from a book about Jimi Hendrix that he signed and inscribed.
Matt’s Eddie Kramer signature:
Kramer engineered two Beatles songs that appeared as a single and on Magical Mystery Tour—”All You Need Is Love” and “Baby, You’re a Rich Man.”
Sir Joesph Lockwood: Matt’s rare signature of the EMI executive. He was heavily involved with many Beatles activities including banning John Lennon’s Two Virgins album from his record label!
Matt’s signature of art dealer and impressario, Robert Fraser:
Some info about Robert Fraser from Wikipedia:
Fraser art-directed the cover for the Beatles’ 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – he dissuaded the group from using the original design, a psychedelic artwork created by the design collective The Fool, instead suggesting the pop artists Peter Blake and Jann Haworth, who created the famous collage cover design for which they each won a Grammy Award.
It was through Fraser that Richard Hamilton was selected to design the poster for the White Album. His gallery also hosted “You Are Here”, Lennon’s own foray into avant garde art during 1968.
Engineering some great records:
A lovely photograph of Matt’s, of several engineers that worked on the respective Beatles albums shown below:
Eddie Kramer worked on a few tracks on Magical Mystery Tour; Ken Scott worked on some tracks on the White Album; Alan Parsons worked on Abbey Road and Glyn Johns worked on the Let It Be Album!
Closing remarks:
I know that you are all as thrilled as I am to be able to share some of Matt’s wonderful treasures with everyone on the blog. Matt has been very kind to consent to do more of these blogs to share his wonderful collection with all of us. Very few collectors who are not first-generation Beatles fans have impressed me with their collections. Matt’s collection made my jaw drop to the floor and that is the reason “I can say no more…until NEXT TIME!!!
Be healthy and be happy everyone!
Best Wishes!
Buzz
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