George Harrison’s Guitar String and Beatles Autographs Up for Auction

A broken guitar string belonging to George Harrison, alongside a rare collection of autographs from The Beatles, is set to draw significant interest at auction. The items, which include autographs obtained by a teenage fan in 1963, could sell for more than $5,352. The auction will take place at Richard Winterton Auctioneers in Lichfield on February 2, 2024.

The story behind these items begins on April 7, 1963, when Elizabeth Salt, then a 15-year-old fan, met the iconic band after a concert at the Savoy Ballroom in Southsea, Portsmouth. During the performance, Harrison inadvertently broke a guitar string, which Elizabeth quickly scooped up as a keepsake. After the show, she managed to get the band members’ autographs not on paper, but on her arm, a moment she still recalls fondly.

Reflecting on that day, Elizabeth, now 79, expressed her youthful excitement: “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.” She described how she held out her arm for the signatures and was devastated when her father insisted she wash them off, fearing she would get “blood poisoning.” Fortunately, she preserved her autograph book, which also contains signatures from other notable musicians of the era.

The album is not just a testament to her admiration for The Beatles but also a celebration of the vibrant pop culture landscape of the 1960s. It includes autographs from stars like the Rolling Stones, Cliff Richard, and Adam Faith, making it a significant piece for collectors. The auction house has stated that the expected sale price could range from £4,014 to £5,352, reflecting the high demand for memorabilia from this influential period in music history.

Elizabeth’s journey as a fan did not end with that memorable concert. She and her friends made a point to see The Beatles perform multiple times along the south coast, including in Brighton and Southampton. One particularly amusing memory involved queuing overnight for concert tickets, which led to a fan club meet-and-greet in London where she had a brief encounter with the band members.

Rob French, an ephemera valuer at Richard Winterton Auctioneers, highlighted the significance of the collection, stating, “This is one of the finest 1960s autograph books I’ve had the pleasure of cataloguing. What makes this book so special is the fact that it contains the signatures of all The Beatles and the Rolling Stones, plus more from some of the biggest names in pop music from the 1960s.”

As a grandmother of four and a former legal secretary, Elizabeth remains a devoted fan of The Beatles. Her collection also includes another signature from George Harrison, as well as those of Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney.

The upcoming auction not only offers a chance to acquire valuable memorabilia but also serves as a nostalgic reminder of a time when music captivated the hearts of millions. For enthusiasts and collectors alike, this sale represents a unique opportunity to own a piece of musical history.