John Lennon’s misplaced guitar present in loft after 50 years to go up for public sale

A guitar utilized by John Lennon within the recording of The Beatles album and movie Help! goes up for public sale after being present in a loft.

Believed to have been misplaced, the 12-string acoustic guitar had not been seen or performed for greater than 50 years earlier than it was rediscovered within the residence of a British couple.

It is now going up for public sale the place it’s estimated to fetch between £485,000 to £647,000.

Auctioneers imagine it might set a “new world document for the highest-selling Beatles guitar”.

The Hootenanny mannequin, made by German agency Framus, was utilized by the Liverpool band within the 1965 Help! movie, particularly within the scene when the group carry out You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away.

It was additionally used in the course of the recording classes for It’s Only Love and I’ve Just Seen A Face and Girl together with the rhythm observe for Norwegian Wood performed by George Harrison.

“Finding this remarkable instrument is like finding a lost Rembrandt or Picasso, and it still looks and plays like a dream after having been preserved in an attic for more than 50 years,” mentioned Darren Julien, co-founder and government director at public sale home Julien’s Auctions.

“To awaken this sleeping beauty is a sacred honour and is a great moment for music, Julien’s, Beatles and auction history.”

It is believed the guitar got here to be within the possession of Scottish guitarist Gordon Waller, identified for being one half of the pop duo Peter & Gordon, who later gave it to his band’s highway managers within the Seventies.

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It will not be the primary piece of Beatles memorabilia to be rediscovered.

In February, Sir Paul McCartney was reunited along with his 1961 Hofner bass guitar, which he used on songs comparable to Twist And Shout and She Loves You.

Julien’s Auctions has beforehand bought one other Lennon acoustic guitar for $2.4m (£1.93m), Ringo Starr’s Ludwig drum equipment was bought for $2.2m (£1.77m) and a Ludwig drumhead bass used on The Ed Sullivan Show was auctioned at $2.1m (£1.64m).

The Hootenanny guitar will go up for public sale together with the guitar’s Maton Australian-made case as a part of Julien’s Music Icons two-day public sale on 29 and 30 May.

Also being bought on the public sale is an Adam Clayton stage-played and owned rose sparkle Fender bass guitar, used on the U2 Las Vegas Sphere exhibits, which has an estimate of $50,000 to 70,000 (£40,199 to £56,279).

Tina Turner’s Versace costume, worn throughout her 1996 to 1997 Wildest Dreams Tour, and Amy Winehouse’s Black Fendi robe made for the opening of the garments store throughout Paris Fashion Week, are additionally up for public sale.