English Literature, History, Children’s Books and Illustrations

335 by 495mm, digital print with handwritten explanation in pencil, unsigned, framed and glazed

'what are you like?'

Life is Beautiful: Milan

Alessandro Mendini b. 1931 Collection of Ten "100% Make up" Vases with Lid (Collezione di dieci vasi "100% Make up" con coperchio) 1992, first edition decorated porcelain with transfer each marked and numbered on the underside manufactured by Seltmann Company, Germany and Decoritalia, for Alessi, Italy The Artists (from left to right): 21. Emmanuel Ekefrey 22. Brian Eno 23. Ellinor Floro 24. Dan Friedman 25. Elizabeth Fritsch 26. Piero Gaeta 27. Giorgio Galli e Beatrice Santiccioli 28. Louise Gibb 29. Piero Gilardica 30. Anna Gilica (1992, prima edizione porcellana decorata con decalcomanie applicate ogni elemento marcato e numerato prodotto da Seltmann, Germania e Decoritalia, per Alessi, Italia) Height: cm 39; in. 15.35, each (10) To view Shipping Calculator, please click here

View 1 of Lot 17: Collection of Ten "100% Make up" Vases with Lid 

collection of ten "100% make up" vases with lid

The Beatles

[BRIAN EPSTEIN]--CARTIER A WHITE GOLD OVAL WRISTWATCH 1966 Baignoire No. 10269 7808, Damascened nickel lever movement, signed Jaeger-LeCoultre, no. 1315936, cream dial, Roman numerals, signed Cartier, 18k white gold oval case, secured by four screws, sapphire-set winding crown, stamped JC for Jaeger-LeCoultre, hallmarked for London 1966, numbered 10269 7808; With an 18k white gold deployant buckle, stamped JC for Jaeger-LeCoultre, numbered 1080, hallmarked for London 1966 Dimensions 31 x 23mm [with:] Letter of provenance by Brian Epstein's nephew, Henry Epstein, dated 2020 THE WATCH THAT KEPT THE BEATLES ON TIME. In their early years the Beatles became notorious amongst promoters and managers for their slack timekeeping; they were late for their first meeting with Brian Epstein, having stopped at a pub on their way from the Cavern Club (a distance of just a few hundred metres). Punctuality was a key ingredient to the new professionalism that Epstein immediately set about instilling into the group. Under Epstein's management the band were soon hectically busy and depended on their manager's meticulous time-keeping and weekly typed schedules to keep them on track. Brian Epstein purchased this watch and its customised strap in 1966. Although the Baignoire was sold as a lady's watch he evidently appreciated its elegant design. According to the Epstein family, he bought an identical watch for George Harrison and a similar design for his mother, Queenie. Epstein can be seen wearing this distinctive watch in many photographs from the time of the Beatles 1966 world tour onwards. The tour was beset by controversy. Firstly, the choice of venue in Tokyo offended conservatives in Japan, then their inadvertent snub of Imelda Marcos led to their being hounded out of the Philippines. Finally, the recycling of an old interview in which John made his "bigger than Jesus" comment stoked a remarkable campaign of vitriol amongst American Evangelicals. It was at this point that the Beatles decided that they had had enough of touring. THIS INTIMATE ACCESSORY WAS WORN REGULARLY BY BRIAN EPSTEIN WHEN HE ACCOMPANIED THE BEATLES AT THE ZENITH OF THEIR GLOBAL POPULARITY. PROVENANCE: Brian Epstein; thence by descent within the Epstein family To view Shipping Calculator, please click here

View 1 of Lot 41: BRIAN EPSTEIN | Cartier wristwatch, 1966

brian epstein | cartier wristwatch, 1966

Science: Books and Manuscripts

Hawking, Stephen Signed photograph Magazine photo feature entitled "Men of the Year 1979" including Hawking ("Has become a world authority on the 'black holes' in space in spite of suffering from a crippling disease of the nervous system") and five other individuals from different walks of life, signed by Hawking beneath his photo, also signed by the athlete Sebastian Coe ("World record holder for the 800 metre, 1500 metres and the mile"), Superintendent Coxswain Brian Bevan (a lifeboatman with multiple awards for bravery), and the police officer Nelson George Biday ("Overpowered an axeman killer"), on a bifolium with details of speakers at the annual luncheon and previous award-winners, small folio, apparently removed from a commemorative brochure A RARE SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH BY STEPHEN HAWKING. 1979 was the year of Hawking's election to the prestigious Lucasian Chair of Mathematics at Cambridge, evidently enough to bring recognition with this British award, but his popular celebrity that was to come with A Brief History of Time (1988) was still several years in the future. By the time Hawking achieved worldwide fame he was unable to write using his own hand.

View 1 of Lot 25: Stephen Hawking | Signed photograph, 1979

stephen hawking | signed photograph, 1979

Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own | The Evening Sale

Freddie Mercury Autograph manuscript working lyrics to 'Don't Stop Me Now' comprising four pages each with a partial revised draft of the song, on lined A4 paper, and three additional pages with early fragments ("Don't stop me now / I'm having a Good Time yeah / Leave me alone") with unrelated fragments, blue, red and black ink, 6 leaves, c.1978 FREDDIE MERCURY'S WORKING DRAFT LYRICS TO HIS EXUBERANT CELEBRATION OF HEDONISM, WHICH HAS BECOME ONE OF QUEEN'S MOST POPULAR SONGS. 'Don't Stop Me Now' has a history that is very different from most of Queen's major hits. Today it is the band's second most streamed song (after 'Bohemian Rhapsody'); it has been used to advertise everything from cars to almond milk; cover versions have appeared everywhere from a space train cabaret in British TV staple Doctor Who to a promo for American Idol; in 2016 researchers at the University of Missouri even reported that it topped a study into songs most likely to have an uplifting effect on the listener (beating 'Good Vibrations' and 'Dancing Queen' to the top spot). However, it was - by Queen standards - a relatively minor hit on release, reaching number 9 in the UK charts and only number 86 in the USA. It was not included in the set list for the band's US tour of Jazz in autumn 1978 and remained in relative obscurity for the remainder of Mercury's career. It was not even performed in the 1992 Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. In 2019 Billboard Magazine traced the song's route to ubiquity, beginning with the 2004 comedy zombie movie Shaun of the Dead, surely the funniest use of a Queen song in film aside, of course, from Wayne's World. When a zombie apocalypse has overwhelmed suburban London survivors take refuge, naturally enough, in their local pub, but their attempt at stealth is fatally undermined by the pub jukebox, which is mistakenly turned on and begins to blare out 'Don't Stop Me Now'. In a memorable scene, the group batter the zombified landlord with pool cues in time with the song whilst desperately trying to turn off the jukebox as a horde of zombies gather outside. The film's success introduced Queen's song to a new generation. Its visibility increased as 'Don't Stop Me Now' was performed by a range of artists in the years that followed: a faithful cover of the song by McFly reached Number 1 in the UK in 2006, Katy Perry performed it live in 2009, and it featured prominently in the US TV series Glee in 2013. The song's positivity, catchy melody, and versatile message allow it to fit a wide range of scenarios; as one DJ put it to Billboard, "It fits everything, from your baby learning how to walk to an 80-year-old running a marathon". When written, however, the song clearly referred to the hedonistic lifestyle that Freddie Mercury had begun to embrace by the late '70s: it was a paean to sex and drugs and rock and roll. In the video, Mercury sings the song - which of course includes lines such as "I'm a sex machine ready to reload" - whilst wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the logo for 'Mineshaft' (lot 202), a gay leather bar and sex club in Manhattan. Other members of the band were less certain that being "out of control" was something to celebrate: "I thought it was a lot of fun but, yes, I did have an undercurrent of feeling of are we talking about danger here because we were worried about Freddie at this point and I think that feeling lingers" (Brian May, interviewed in 2011, quoted in Somebody to Love, p.159). The current drafts show Mercury crafting the song, beginning with an early draft including the title and fragmentary lyrics in which he compares himself to an "Electric shark" and "a pistol shot" as well as the familiar "shooting star". More complete drafts include discarded lines such as "I'm made of hot stuff", "Wanna send a supersonic message to you" (an alternative to "Wanna make a supersonic man out of you"), and "I'll do what I want whenever I want to". There is also an early version of the slower introductory verse. He continued to revise the song after he has written it into his notebook (lot 53) and one version of the song found here is a fair copy produced after the notebook version of the song. SPECIAL NOTICE No right to reproduce or commercially exploit the copyright or other intellectual property or image rights in any lot is included with the sale of the lot (including but not limited to song lyrics, sketches, drawings and garment designs). Queen Productions Limited, Queen Music Limited and other rights holders reserve all their rights. No right to exhibit in public or reproduce this lot is included with the sale of this lot without the prior written consent of Queen Productions Limited, who shall act in good faith to consider any such requests.

View 1 of Lot 51: Freddie Mercury | Autograph manuscript draft lyrics for 'Don't Stop Me Now', c.1978

freddie mercury | autograph manuscript draft lyrics for 'don't stop me now', c.1978

Fine Books & Manuscripts Online

APPLE CORPS LIMITED DISSOLUTION OF CONTRACT, SIGNED BY ALL FOUR BEATLES

APPLE CORPS LIMITED DISSOLUTION OF CONTRACT, SIGNED BY ALL FOUR BEATLES Typed documented signed by “Paul McCartney” and “R. Starkey”, twice signed by “George Harrison” and "John Lennon"; Apple Corps Limited, dated 29 December 1974, 1 page (13 x 8 in.). Some handling wear and minor toning, small strip of adhesive residue to verso. The end of a global phenomenon — the dissolution of The Beatles' legal partnership Apple Corps Ltd was formed in January 1968 in an effort to consolidate the band's interests, and protect their earnings against the considerably higher individual tax rates. John and Paul visited The Tonight Show shortly thereafter, and of their new business venture John said: "Our accountant came up and said 'We got this amount of money. Do you want to give it to the government or do something with it?' ... So we decided to play businessmen for a bit because we've got to run our own affairs now." The band's collective ignorance of finance and administration lead to extreme mismanagement and financial excess in the early days: gourmet lunches, drugs, and alcohol were regularly treated as business expenses, and the Apple Corps offices have been described as "somewhere between a conventional entertainment business and a hippy nirvana." For all intents and purposes, The Beatles had ceased to exist as a cohesive creative entity in 1969 when John informed his band mates “I want a divorce”, but it only became public in 1970 with Paul's announcement that he was leaving the band. The breakup was fueled by grief over the death of longtime manager Brian Epstein and escalating tension with respect to collaboration and songwriting: John was growing increasingly experimental in his tastes, Paul was still fully committed to pop music, and George found that there wasn't space for his newfound commitment to songwriting. In initiating the formal dissolution of The Beatles, the band was opening itself up to enormous tax liability, and it would ultimately take years to untangle their business interests, and agree upon the terms governing the dissolution of their partnership. By 1974, after years of litigation, the band had reached an accord, and the documents were supposed to be signed on 19 December at a meeting at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan (where The Beatles had stayed during their first trip to the United States). McCartney and Harrison were there in person, while Starr, having already signed the document, was on the telephone. Although Lennon lived a short distance from the Plaza, he left his former band mates waiting, purportedly giving the excuse: “the stars aren’t right” (in reality his absence was due to lingering concerns over taxation). Ten days later, the stars aligned in Disney World of all places. On 29 December, a lawyer met a vacationing John with the amended contract in Florida. The moment was captured by John’s partner May Pang, who remarked that Lennon “looked wistfully out the window” before signing underneath his band mates’ signatures. Of this potentially divisive moment, Pang further noted: “The friendship was still there. They were brothers. There was no animosity. And even though they all felt they had to break up to get to the next level of their musical careers, John had started this band that changed the world … So, when he sat down to sign, he knew that this was it. His was the last signature. As he had started the group, he was the one to end it." Signed legal documents relating to critical moments in The Beatles' career are quite desirable — their 1962 managerial contract with Brian Epstein achieved £365,000 in 2015, and McCartney's 1970 Affidavit initiating the lawsuit that would break up the band achieved $125,000 in 2018.

apple corps limited dissolution of contract, signed by all four beatles

Rock & Roll

The Rolling Stones A typescript management contract, signed and executed by the band and Andrew Loog Oldham, [ca. 1964] Becoming the Stones Two leaves (328 x 203 mm) typed on rectos, signed on the second page by Bill Wyman, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Charlie Watts, and Andrew Loog Oldham; remnants of previous mount adhered to verso at corners, three old horizontal folds, slight split along one fold of one leaf at outer margin, creasing at margins and corners, several holes to upper left corner of each leaf, a few tiny marginal nicks and closed tears, stray spots, lightly browned, more so at margins. The transformative contract between the Stones and their most influential manager and producer The contract begins: 1. I hereby engage you individually and jointly as 'The Rolling Stones' to render such services as I may require in the production of phonograph records, and you hereby accept such engagement and agree to render such services for us for a period ... terminating August 31st, 1970. 2. A minimum of 40 (forty) 78 r.p.m. record sides or their equivalent shall be recording during the term hereof; additional recordings shall be performed by you and recorded by us at our election. ... It further stipulates, along with standard licensing agreements, the breakdown of royalties, which help to date the present contract: 5. We shall pay you for services to be rendered hereunder and for the rights granted herein, a royalty of seven per cent (7%) on sales up to February 28th, 1965 and twelve per cent (12%) on sales after February 28th, 1965 of the wholesale sellers price (exclusive of all taxes) of ninety per cent (90%) of all records sold and paid for in the United Kingdom containing on both sides thereof a composition or compositions performed by you and recorded hereunder ... Andrew Loog Oldham was essential to The Rolling Stones' success. After being tipped off to the band, Loog Oldham went to see the Stones performing as the house band in a Richmond club and immediately saw their potential for pop stardom. He returned to London certain that he had seen the next British sensation and offered to partner signing them with his then employer, Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein . His boss passed on the chance to work with the scruffy band, and so the then Rollin’ Stones signed their first management contract with Loog Oldham in May 1963. Oldham was only nineteen years old, so he partnered with Eric Easton, as he wasn't legally allowed to sign contracts or obtain an agent's license on his own. The arrangement of joint management with Easton came to an end in 1964 over the split of royalties due the band for original songs and his underhanded manipulation of licensing and publishing. Loog Oldham then took the reins of marketing the band alone and in earnest, with an unorthodox and transgressive style that became a template for rock managers thereafter from Led Zep’s Peter Grant to the Sex Pistols’ Malcolm McClaren. It was Loog Oldham who initially pushed them to pursue writing their own songs, rather than sticking with their R&B covers. And although he originally thought to model the band off The Beatles—with whom he had worked before—he instead decided to situate them in opposition to the Fab Four, encouraging a dishelved and heterogenous appearance: to create a group of dangerous-seeming "undesirables," against the The Beatles' safer charms. He orchestrated such press as “Would you let your daughter marry a Rolling Stone?” and when one of the band was nicked for urinating against a gas station wall, even that became a press moment. He carefully curated the band’s image, first by relegating the piano player Iain Stewart to an offstage role (not photogenic enough) and then by pushing Jagger rather than founder Brian Jones to be the front man and face of the group. Loog Oldham also produced most of the classic Brian Jones era Stones albums, including all their iconic mid-60s hits, from "Satisfaction," "Paint it Black," "Get off my Cloud," "19th Nervous Breakdown," etc. From setting the band’s image (album covers photographed by Derek Bailey and longer hair), and courting controversy to insure press coverage to sitting behind the mixing board, Loog Oldham steered the Stones to stardom. It was one of the most enviable and legendary production and management runs in rock. Though he only managed the band until 1967, when they parted ways amidst strained relations, few others exerted such an impact on the band. Without Andrew Loog Oldham's influence and vision, it is arguable if they Stone’s would have made it out of the Crawdaddy Club. PROVENANCE Christie's London, 20 June 2014, lot 105 “…They only wanted exploiting. They were all bad boys when I found them. I just brought out the worst in them.” (ALO. Stoned. St. Martin’s Press, 2001. Pg. 257) “It had never crossed my mind to be a songwriter until Andrew came to me and Mick…” Keith Richards in The Rolling Stones in Their Own Words.

View 1 of Lot 55: The Rolling Stones | A management contract signed by the Stones and Andrew Loog Oldham

the rolling stones | a management contract signed by the stones and andrew loog oldham

Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own | On Stage

Freddie Mercury Autograph manuscript working lyrics for songs written for the album A Night at the Opera, comprising: i) 'Death on Two Legs', six pages of lyrics including an near-complete draft and early fragments and phrases, and one page of vocal harmonies with additional lyric fragments on the verso, pencil with some blue ballpoint and black fibretip, in total 7 leaves of British Midland Airways stationery with 1974 calendar ii) 'Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon', three pages of lyrics including two near complete drafts and one page of early fragments, and one page of vocal harmonies, in pencil, text on rectos only, in total 4 leaves of British Midland Airways stationery with 1974 calendar iii) 'Seaside Rendezvous', four pages of lyrics including a near complete draft and early fragments, and three pages of vocal harmonies, in pencil with blue ballpoint and black fibretip, text on rectos only, in total 7 leaves of British Midland Airways stationery with 1974 calendar iv) Five pages of early pencil fragments of lyrics relating to 'Death on two Legs', 'Bohemian Rhapsody' ("so you think you can love me then leave me to die/ no baby") and other songs, text on rectos only, in pencil, blue and black ballpoint, on a pad of blank stationery (165 x 122mm), plus seven blank leaves v) Notes on instrumentation to various songs for recording sessions, four pages of additional fragmentary draft lyrics, three pages of doodles and addresses, text on rectos only, seven leaves, plus the unused remains of a pad of British Midland Airways stationery Altogether 31 leaves, plus additional blanks, c.1974 WORKING MANUSCRIPTS FOR QUEEN'S MOST HIGHLY REGARDED ALBUM. “Go into the studio and make the best record you can!” was the injunction the band received from their new manager John Reid in the summer of 1975 before they assembled to record A Night at the Opera. This was their opportunity to build on exceptional successes of previous months: ‘Killer Queen’ had been their first major hit; their third album Sheer Heart Attack had been highly successful; and the subsequent tour had taken in the USA and Japan. They had also finally rid themselves of an unwelcome management contract - 'Death on Two Legs' is Freddie's farewell tirade against Trident - and their new album would be their first release under new management. The album was recorded over four months using a number of different studios, most notably Rockfield Studios in rural Wales. Production was fraught with arguments and tension (the album's title is a tribute to a relaxing evening spent watching the Marx Brothers to decompress). It was produced, once again, by Roy Thomas Baker, who had also left Trident. A Night at the Opera saw Queen continually testing boundaries in the recording studio - Brian May has called the album "our Sgt. Pepper" - to create a unique soundscape of diverse musical styles with complex arrangements. The album contains five songs by Freddie Mercury (most notably, of course, 'Bohemian Rhapsody'), four by Brian May, and one each by Roger Taylor and John Deacon ('You're My Best Friend'). The current group of manuscripts show Freddie Mercury's characteristic working practices as well as his love of variety: they range from vitriolic rock to effervescent music hall. The earliest notes are on pages of plain notepaper, containing fragments for several songs that probably predate the earliest drafts on British Midland stationery. This has early fragments of 'Seaside Rendezvous' and also 'Love of My Life' (for which see lot 146) as well as an early version of 'Death on Two Legs' that gives the song's unmistakable attitude in unworked form: "You suck my blood You bleed my vein Take all my money Wash it down the drain." There are early drafts when he was first feeling his way into the song, with phrases and individual lines that are yet to coalesce into a coherent whole. These are followed by full drafts of the songs which now largely have the shape of the completed songs, although they often include considerable revisions - for example Freddie reworked the final stanza of 'Seaside Rendezvous' after the song was otherwise near completion. He used pencil for these early drafts, with a few scattered later revisions then following in blue ballpoint pen. There are also notes for the arrangement of vocal harmonies, especially for 'Seaside Rendezvous', and a page with ideas about instrumentation for several songs for the album: 'Seaside Rendezvous', for example, would include "Roger's trumpet, tuba, whistle, tap dance, bells, cow-bell, triangle sirens" on one track, and "Freddie's 'Glen Miller' violin" on another. Freddie's justifiable pride in the album is evident: "It's going to be our best album. It really is [...] There were a lot of things we wanted to do on Queen II and Sheer Heart Attack, but there wasn't space enough [...] Guitar-wise and with vocals, we did things we've never done before. Nothing was out of bounds. The backing tracks on this album are far superior. We felt that they were really closely knit and we seemed to feel each other's needs, which is very important for backing tracks. There were so many songs and styles we wanted to do. It makes a change to have short numbers as well as long ones. It's so varied that we were able to go to extremes. Every molecule on that album is us, just the four of us - every iota. There were no session men; not for strings, not for anything." (Freddie Mercury: A Life, in his Own Words, p.68) Propelled by its exceptional hit single, A Night at the Opera was a major commercial hit and even the NME paid its respects to their artistry: "If it's the most expensive album ever made in a British studio, it's also arguably the best." SPECIAL NOTICE No right to reproduce or commercially exploit the copyright or other intellectual property or image rights in any lot is included with the sale of the lot (including but not limited to song lyrics, sketches, drawings and garment designs). Queen Productions Limited, Queen Music Limited and other rights holders reserve all their rights. No right to exhibit in public or reproduce this lot is included with the sale of this lot without the prior written consent of Queen Productions Limited, who shall act in good faith to consider any such requests.

View 1 of Lot 146: Freddie Mercury | Autograph manuscript lyrics for songs on the album 'A Night at the Opera', c.1975

freddie mercury | autograph manuscript lyrics for songs on the album 'a night at the opera', c.1975

English Literature, History, Science, Children’s Books and Illustrations Online

THE BEATLES--THE FOOL Psychedelic landscape commissioned for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Band enamelled paints heightened in pen and ink, depicting a coastal dreamscape at sunset with birds in the foreground (owl, parrot, peacock) and a pool with lilies and a fountain shaped as a mermaid, fireworks in the upper right, two white panels (oval in the upper left and rectangular in the lower right) left blank for text, on paper, the sheet extended at all four margins then laid down on card, 407 x 717mm, with a circular sticker depicting a sun and stars on the reverse, [1967], mounted on pine board inscribed and decorated in red fibre tip on the reverse by Ringo Starr ("To Hill | We Love you | Billy S. | and fam. | xxxx | 87-67"), signing as Billy Shears, Ringo's alter ego in Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band), with a decoration of stars and moons, in a decorated gilt frame with psychedelic themes inspired by the landscape labelled "Original Cover Design for the Sgt. Pepper's Album by 'The Fool'", frame 695 x 1050mm, some wear with loss Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is almost certainly the most influential album in pop music history, whether or not one agrees that it contains The Beatles finest music. What set Sgt Pepper apart was its unprecedented ambition as a unified artwork; its use of an underlying concept that holds together its songs, and which is crucially reinforced by the album artwork, of which this piece was created to be part. Paul McCartney was the driving force behind the concept of The Beatles performing as a fictional band, and artwork was a key part of McCartney’s vision. Much of Sgt Pepper's whimsically nostalgic aesthetic, from the pseudo-military uniforms to the structure of the front cover, can be found in McCartney’s preliminary sketches. From an early stage the album was conceived of as a gatefold (a format first used in Dylan’s 1966 double album Blonde on Blonde), which would give it double the space for artwork compared to a normal LP, and this format was retained even when it became clear that The Beatles had not recorded enough material for a double album. Whilst the husband-and-wife pop art team of Peter Blake and Jann Haworth were called upon to bring substance to McCartney’s ideas for the cover design, the Beatles turned to one of the leading proponents of psychedelic artwork to fill the inner section of the gatefold. The Fool was a Dutch design collective who had been commissioned by Brian Epstein to design programmes for concerts at the Saville Theatre, which he owned, as well as designing work for other bands including Cream and Procul Harum. Marijke Koger Dunham, one of the collective's leading members, has recalled how the commission came about in an article included in the booklet accompanying the 50th Anniversary super Deluxe Box Set Reissue of Sgt. Pepper (2017): “...The Beatles’ roadie, Mal Evans, brought John and Paul to our studio in St Stephen’s Gardens. They had seen my Saville Theatre programme cover for Hendrix and The Who and were intrigued by the artwork. They blew their minds over the ‘Wonderwall’ Simon [Posthuma] and I had painted n 1966 on an armoire in polychrome psychedelic imagery, as well as others paintings and artwork. Soon they introduced us to George and Ringo […] They invited us to the orchestral session/party for ‘A Day In The Life’ at Abbey Road on 10 February 1967. After that, we were commissioned to work on a concept sketch for the Sgt. Pepper album cover […] The artwork was supposed to be for the inside spread of the gatefold. The lower right rectangular section was to feature The Beatles’ name, the song titles would be overlaid on the upper right ‘fireworks’ oval and a display of photos of them placed on the upper left oval...” The Fool’s lush, vibrant landscape is a classic example of late-60s psychedelia. It was, however, rejected in favour of a photographic portrait of the band in their coloured tunics by Michael Cooper. The decision not to use The Fool’s design was heavily influenced by Robert Fraser, the art dealer friend of the band who had worked with Paul to develop his visual concepts for the album and had first got Peter Blake involved in the project. The decision was in part about draughtsmanship, but Fraser may also have been concerned that the overtly psychedelic design was too much of a contrast with the upper cover; it provides a very different vision of Pepperland from the saturated colours and faux-Edwardian pastiche with which we are all so familiar. The rejection of the design certainly did not mark a lack of appreciation of The Fool by The Beatles: their wavy red and white pattern was used on the record’s inner sleeve, and they went on to paint pianos, cars, and murals for members of The Beatles as well as the extravagant mural of the exterior of the Apple Boutique. This design by The Fool was eventually used as part of the artwork for the 50th Anniversary Deluxe reissue of Sergeant Pepper in 2017. This original artwork, with its exceptionally rare signature of Ringo as "Billy Shears", is a unique piece of Beatles history. PROVENANCE: Sotheby's, Rock and Roll Memorabilia, 28 August 1986, lot 49; later acquired by Ringo Starr; presented to his manager Hilary Gerrard in 1987 Please see Shipping Calculator Link: Click Here

the beatles--the fool, unused artwork for the sgt.pepper album cover, 1967

Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own | Crazy Little Things 1

[Freddie Mercury] His personal record collection, circa 275 records mainly 12 inch, some 7 inch, some shrink-wrapped, some loose lacking sleeves Titles include: Motown, Chart Busters Brian May, Back To The Light Go West, We Close Our Eyes Anita Dobson, Talking Of Love Philip Bailey And Phil Collins, He's An Easy Lover Laurence Olivier, The Theme From Time The Musical David Bowie, Fashions Castro, Son Of My Father Tina Turner, Private Dancer Kate Bush, Hands Of Love Aretha Franklin And George Michael, I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) Led Zeppelin, Prime Cuts Bee Gees, One Princess, Say I'm Your No.1 Suburbia, Surburbia Spandau Ballet, How Many Lies? Dionne Warwick, Friends Metropolis, The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Yazz, The Only Way Is Up Bucks Fizz, New Beginning Robert Palmer, Addicted To Love Pet Shop Boys, Always On My Mind Hughey Lewis And The News, The Power Of Love Robert Palmer, I Didn't Mean To Turn You On Seventh Avenue, Love's Gone Mad Prince, If I Was Your Girlfriend Bros, Drop The Boy Patti La Belle, Winner Bros, When Will I Be Famous [Christmas], The Stars Sing At Christmas Sheena Easton, One O One Mike And The Mechanics, Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground) Stevie Wonder, Hotter Than July A-Ha, Take On Me David Bowie, Extended Dance Mix Loving The Alien Now That's What I Call Music 4 Tears For Fears, Everybody Wants To Rule The World Mahalia Jackson, Gospel Frankie Goes To Hollywood, How To Remake The World Phil Collins, Take Me Home Aretha Franklin, One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism Madonna, Gambler Emerson Lake And Palmer, Trilogy Rosie Vela, Magic Smile Tina Turner, Typical Male Donna Summer, Love Is In Control Tarkus, Tarkus Natalie Cole, Dangerous Pointer Sisters, Automatic Emerson Lake And Palmer Paisley Park, She's Always In My Hair Peter Gabriel, Sledgehammer Dream Girls, Original Broadway Cast Album Maria Vidal, Body Rock The Pretenders, Don’t Get Me Wrong Neil Young, Harvest Moon Neil Young , After The Gold Rush Eurythmics, When Tomorrow Comes Eric Clapton, Behind The Mask Paul Simon, You Can Call Me Al Echo And The Bunnymen, Bring On The Dancing Horses Cutting Crew, (I Just) Died In Your Arms Neil Young, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere U2, Two Hearts Beat As One Simply Red, Holding Back The Years The Cars, Drive Eric Clapton, The Best Of Eric Clapton Paula Abdul, Straight Up Whitney Houston, Saving All My Love For You Chaka Khan, I'm Every Woman Whitney Houston, I Wanna Dance With Somebody Berlin, Take My Breath Away Rufus And Chaka Khan, Ain't Nobody Michael Jackson, The Way You Make Me Feel Tina Turner, Two People Ashford And Simpson, Solid Cliff Richard, Rock And Roll Juvenile Falco, Rock Me Amadeus Tina Turner, Help Fame, The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Aretha Franklin, Who's Zoomin' Who Eurythmics, There Must Be An Angel Playing With My Heart Jennifer Warns, First We Take Manhattan Whitney Houston, How Will I Know The Hollies, He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother Rock Well, Somebody's Watching Me John Farnham, Whispering Jack Flash Dance, The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Donna Summer, Live And More Yazz, The Only Way Is Up Aretha Franklin, Freeway Of Love Laura Branigan E=Mc2 Pat Benatar, Best Shots Irma Thomas, Breakaway Barbara Streisand , The Broadway Album George Michael, A Different Corner Johnnie Mathis, Gone, Gone, Gone Paula Abdul, (It's Just) The Way That You Love Me Thirty Greatest Hits From The World's Greatest Operettas Lennon, Shaved Fish Roger Taylor, The Outsider Tour Live Shakespear's Sister, You're History Neneh Cherry, Buffalo Stance Grand Piano, Piano Groove Mr. Mister, Welcome To The Real World New Kids On The Block, You Got It (The Right Stuff) Michael Jackson, Leave Me Alone [Brian May], Who Wants To Live Forever Madonna, Like A Prayer Beatles, Beatles For Sale Eddie Howell, Grammaphone Record Keith Jarrett, Music For String Orchestra And Saxophone Liza Minelli, Liza With A Z The Shadows, Greatest Hits The Power Station, Some Like It Hot And The Heat Is On Paul Simon, The Boy In The Bubble Lisa Stansfield, All Around The World George Michael, Faith The Beatles, Abbey Road The Beatles, Please Please Me Bonnie Pointer Timbuck, The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades Phil Collins, Another Day In Paradise Pop Classics 1987 Sheena Easton, Days Like This Kon Kan, I Beg Your Pardon Living In A Box, Blow The House Down Fifty Years Of Film Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Of Warner Bros. Classics, 1923-1973 Janet Jackson, Rhythm Nation The Beatles, Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band The Shadows, The Shadows Eagles, On The Border Double Trouble, Street Tuff Groucho, On Radio! The Beatles, A Collection Of Beatles Oldies Donna Summer, Another Place In Time The Beatles, At The Hollywood Bowl Big Fun, Can't Shake The Feeling Texas, I Don’t Want A Lover The Beatles, Yellow Submarine Madonna, Like A Prayer Janis Joplin, Pearl Kansas Colin Towns, Full Circle Mr. Mister, Kyrie Simple Minds, Don't You Forget About Me Eurythmics, Beethoven Prince And The Revolution, Girls And Boys Wet Wet Wet, Angel Eyes Saint Elmo's Fire, Man In Motion Paul And Linda McCartney, Band On The Run Simply Red, The Right Thing Billy Ocean, Suddenly Etta James, At Last The Bangles, Walk Like An Egyptian Janet Jackson, What Have You Done For Me Lately Loulou, Shout Culture Club, God Thank You Woman Madonna, Papa Don't Preach Janet Jackson, Nasty Prince And The Revolution, Parade Grace Jones, Slave To The Rhythm Tine Turner, One Of The Living Carly Simon, Coming Around Again Belinda Carlisle, Heaven Is A Place On Earth Chaka Khan, I Feel For You Europe, The Final Countdown Bruce Springsteen, The Wild, The Innocent And The E Street Suffle Madonna, Into The Groove Carly Simon, Hotcakes Billy Squier, Enough Is Enough Billy Joel, 52nd Street Now That's What I Call Music 2 Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II Prince, Sign 'O' The Times Peter Gabriel And Kate Bush, Don't Give Up The House Martins, Think For A Minute Curiosity Killed The Cat, Down To Earth Elkie Brooks, No More The Fall Tina Turner, We Don't Need Another Hero Double, The Captain Of Her Heart John Cougar, Mellencamp Pet Shop Boys, West End Girls Patti La Belle, Stir It Up Michael McDonald, No Lookin' Back Michael McDonald, If That's What It Takes Patti La Belle, Oh, People Randy Crawford, Desire Kate Bush, Running Up That Hill Phyllis Nelson, Move Closer Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin III The Moody Blues, In Search Of The Lost Chord Cyndi Lauper, I Drove All Night Bobby Brown, Don't Be Cruel The Jacksons, Nothin (That Compares 2 U) Holly Johnson, Americanos Bobby Brown, Every Little Step Stevie Wonder, Part-Time Lover The Moody Blues, A Question Of Balance Paula Abdul, Forever Your Girl [Christmas], Christmas Concertos Diana Ross, Chain Reaction [Christmas], The Phil Spector Christmas Album Bee Gees, You Win Again Purcell, Dido And Aeneas Hughey Lewis And The News, Simple As That The Blow Monkeys, Digging Your Scene Stevie Wonder, Overjoyed Billy Idol , To Be A Lover D Mob, It Is Time To Get Funky [Christmas], Christmas With Nat King Cole [Christmas], Now The Christmas Album The Blow Monkeys, Choice? 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View 1 of Lot 1852: [Freddie Mercury] | His personal record collection

[freddie mercury] | his personal record collection

Freddie Mercury Notebook containing autograph manuscript working lyrics and other material relating to Queen, comprising: 'Stone Cold Crazy'; 'Lover' (beginning "Lover - Calling from the distance..."); 'Feelings Ended, worn away' (beginning "Come to understand..."); 'Stupid Girl' by The Rolling Stones; 'Visions' (beginning "Oh woman, please stop your crying..."); 'See What a Fool I've Been'; 'Hangman' (beginning "Hangman Hang me..."); 'Steamflier' (beginning "There's a redskin brave hard on my trail..."); 'Cancer (beginning "There's a place I have been and a face I have seen today...") 'Jailhouse Rock'; 'And Satan Presides over the Council of Hell' (title only); untitled song fragment beginning "I think I'm going blind..."; 'Doing All Right'; '[If I were a] Carpenter' by Tim Hardin; 'I'm a Man' by Bo Diddley, in the hand of Roger Taylor with additions by Freddie Mercury; 'Father to Son' (partly in the hand of Brian May); 'Old Raincoat [Won't Ever Let You Down]' by Rod Stewart; 'Jesus'; 'Son and Daughter' (partly in the hand of Brian May); 'Great King Rat'; 'She Makes Me' (in the hand of Brian May); 'The Night Comes Down'; 'Liar' (partly in the hand of Brian May); 'Keep Yourself Alive'; 'Ogre Battle'; 'Mad the Swine'; 'My Fairy King'; 'Modern Times Rock and Roll'; 'The Seven Seas of Rhye'; 'The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke'; 'The March of the Black Queen'; 'White Queen'; 'Nevermore'; 'Funny How Love Is'; untitled song beginning "I'm walkin' down the street' in an unidentified hand; altogether 39 pages, in blue and black ballpoint and pencil; together with 3 further pages of miscellaneous notes relating to the band (track lists, expenses) and doodles (including the phrase "Buggar [sic] me please" on the inside upper cover); also with three additional leaves loosely inserted with further track listing, harmonies, and doodles; altogether 47 pages, plus blanks, in stiff red cloth-backed covers (255 x 205mm), c.1970-1974; stains and wear to covers, hinges weak, first leaf detached, two leaves torn at inner margin, several stubs where leaves have been excised, light staining and wear to some pages A UNIQUE RECORD OF THE EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF FREDDIE MERCURY AS A SONGWRITER. The first song written into this notebook is 'Stone Cold Crazy', which was the first song on the setlist on the first occasion when Freddie Mercury played on stage with Brian May and Roger Taylor, on 27 June 1970 at Truro City Hall: "Four very peculiar-looking young gentlemen clad in silk and too many jewels, making enough row to wake half the dead in Cornwall (quoted in Somebody to Love, p.61). The song marks the beginning of Queen. Mary Austin recalls this notebook as being one of Freddie's most treasured possessions in the early years of their relationship. Into it Freddie has copied some of his earliest compositions, some of which were written for the first bands that he joined after leaving art college. In the summer of 1969 Freddie became lead singer in a blues-influenced band called Ibex; by early October the band changed their name, at Freddie's instigation, to Wreckage; when Wreckage collapsed he auditioned for a band called Sour Milk Sea, who themselves disbanded in the spring of 1970. Several songs in this notebook can be traced back to this seven-month period: Ibex's roadie recalled the band playing a Bulsara-penned number called 'Lover'; whilst 'Cancer On My Mind' is mentioned as a new composition for Wreckage in a letter to a friend (Freddie Bulsara to Celine Daley, 26 October 1969); Sour Milk Sea's guitarist has named 'Feelings Ended Worn Away' as a Freddie composition performed as far back as Ibex; and 'Stone Cold Crazy' was also first played by Wreckage. Two of the songs in this notebook - 'Visions' and 'Steamflier' - appear to be hitherto unknown songs by Freddie Mercury (for 'Steamflier' see also lot 101). 'Visions' is a dark fantasy similar to songs on the first two Queen albums ("The axe man killed the last, in the line of royal trees..."), whilst 'Steamflier' is set in the American West and is possibly connected to the early lost "cowboy song". Freddie Mercury mostly wrote songs into this notebook as fair copies - probably when he considered they were ready for performance - but many have later revisions, as he continued to develop his songwriting. He continued to use the notebook for several years as Queen became established, so the notebook includes a large proportion of Queen's output from the early 70s. There are eight songs that appear on Queen, eight songs that appear on Queen II, and one song from Sheer Heart Attack. The notebook also includes 'Hangman', which was a staple of live performances in the early 1970s; 'Mad the Swine', which was recorded in the sessions for Queen; and 'See What A Fool I've Been', which did not make Queen II but was the b-side to 'Seven Seas of Rhye'. Finally, Freddie Mercury has transcribed into this notebook various songs that the band covered such as - and most frequently - 'Jailhouse Rock'. Although the notebook is largely in the hand of Freddie Mercury there are contributions by other members of Queen, especially Brian May. 'Liar', 'Father To Son' and 'Son and Daughter' are both partly written by Mercury and partly by May, suggesting an unusually close collaboration between the two as they honed their songwriting skills in the early 1970s. May has also added the lyrics to 'She Makes Me' into the notebook (although this song was not recorded until Sheer Heart Attack, the song's presence here suggests it was written several years earlier), whilst Roger Taylor has added the lyrics to the Bo Diddley classic 'I'm a Man'. The notebook also includes a number of songs penned by May and Taylor that are here transcribed by Freddie Mercury. This notebook provides an extraordinary record of the development of Freddie Mercury as a songwriter and of Queen as a band. It opens with apprentice pieces, false starts, and copies of cover songs; by the end of the notebook Freddie is a confident and accomplished songwriter composing sophisticated songs for his second album. A UNIQUE PIECE OF POP MUSIC HISTORY. SPECIAL NOTICE No right to reproduce or commercially exploit the copyright or other intellectual property or image rights in any lot is included with the sale of the lot (including but not limited to song lyrics, sketches, drawings and garment designs). Queen Productions Limited, Queen Music Limited and other rights holders reserve all their rights. No right to exhibit in public or reproduce this lot is included with the sale of this lot without the prior written consent of Queen Productions Limited, who shall act in good faith to consider any such requests.

View 1 of Lot 104: Freddie Mercury | Notebook with working lyrics, early 1970s

freddie mercury | notebook with working lyrics, early 1970s

Scarfe at Sotheby’s: Sixty Years of Being Rude

GERALD SCARFE "Alec McCowen - Kipling" 680 by 400mm. (on 835 by 590mm. sheet), pen and ink drawing with corrections in gouache, captioned "Alec McCowen | Kipling", signed lower right, unmounted sheet Published within The Sunday Times, 3 June 1984, p. 41. Scarfe's drawing of Alec McCowen relates to Brian Clark's play, Kipling, then playing at the Mermaid Theatre. A review of the play by John Peter in The Sunday Times notes "Rudyard Kipling is the Enoch Powell of literature. There he stands, utterly English, paternal and bellicose, stubbornly logical, mulishly independent, fractious, dignified, proudly solitary and moral to the marrow... Alec McCowen's impersonation has the intensity of an old photograph stepping out of its frame: Kipling confronts us, bullet-headed and beetle-browed, chin jutting out, legs astride like an old-fashioned clubman, the pebble glasses glinting with impatience and provocation. It is an exhilarating performance..." Please click here to view shipping calculator

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