Autograph book with signatures from the Beatles and the Stones to be sold

An autograph book containing signatures from the “biggest bands of the 1960s” along with certificates the Beatles never collected and a pair of John Lennon’s sunglasses are to go on sale.

The autographs were collected by a 16-year-old who befriended a caretaker, Dennis, who worked at Salisbury City Hall, where the Beatles were playing in June 1963.

The owner, Edwina Smith, says she sat on Paul McCartney’s knee and was with the Beatles for an hour before their show after her and a friend were let in the backdoor by Dennis.

This became a regular occurrence, as the caretaker let her in to get autographs from the Rolling Stones, including Brian Jones, along with The Hollies and Little Richard.

A Catherine Southon Auctioneers & Valuers spokesperson said: “To get two sets of signatures from the biggest bands in the 1960s in one autograph book is pretty rare.”

Ms Smith’s autograph book is expected to fetch between £5,000 and £7,000.

Ivor Novello certificates which were never picked up by John Lennon and Paul McCartney for Yesterday in 1966 are also expected to go under the hammer.

The awards which are priced between £600 and £800 were left with the Beatles’ music publisher and found their way to an assistant, who still owns them today.

“If Paul McCartney wants his Ivor Novello certificate he can bid for it,” said Catherine Southon.

A pair of honey-colouring-framed tinted glasses purported to have belonged to Lennon will also be auctioned, valued at £2,000 to £3,000.

The glasses belong to actor Stephen Buckley, known as Stephen MacKenna, who played John Lennon in the Dick Clarke film Birth Of The Beatles.

He says he was given them by a woman who worked for Lennon, after she failed to arrange a meeting between them after the film’s promotion.

The items will go on sale at Kingsley House in Chislehurst on September 17.