Beatles autographs and George’s broken string sell for thousands

By Ed Chatterton

A rare autograph book featuring the signatures of all four Beatles and George Harrison’s broken guitar string has sold at auction for £7,000 (over $9,000).

The Fab Four scribbled their names down for starstruck teenage fan Elizabeth Salt and also signed her arm following a gig on April 7, 1963.

Elizabeth, then Elizabeth McBrierty, got to meet her idols following the concert at the Savoy Ballroom in Southsea, Portsmouth, when she was aged 15.

During the performance, George Harrison snapped his guitar string before quick-thinking Elizabeth scooped it up from the stage as a souvenir.

Elizabeth said she was "heartbroken" when her dad made her wash off the autographs from her arm - but fortunately still had her autograph book and also kept hold of guitar string for more than 62 years.

The album is also stuffed with signatures of other stars including the Rolling Stones, Cliff Richard, Adam Faith, Del Shannon, Bobby Vee and Billy Fury.

Her mementos - hailed as a celebration of one the most exciting periods for pop culture in British history - sold to an online UK bidder for £7,000 at Richard Winterton Auctioneers in Lichfield, Staffs., yesterday (Mon).

Rob French, ephemera valuer at the 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.”

Elizabeth went on to watch her heroes several times after getting their autographs at a time Beatlemania was just beginning following the release of Love Me Do.

Gran-of-four Elizabeth, now 79, a former legal secretary, from Lichfield, said: "I remember going with my friend who bought Love Me Do in late 1962.

“That was when it started – we just got obsessed with them.

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

“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.”

The book 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 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.