A collector wHO paid �280,000 at auction for the number one guitar congeal alight on
stage by rock legend Jimi Hendrix is preparing to take his new purchase menage
to America.
A enthralled Daniel Boucher, 51, Boylston, Massachusetts, aforesaid he idea he
would have to dig deeper in his pocket for the piece of musical history at a
sale of rock 'n' roll memorabilia in east London last dark.
Hendrix torched the 1965 Fender Stratocaster at the end of his demo at the
Astoria in Finsbury Park, north London, in March 1967.
But roadies put out the flames while Hendrix was being treated for minor burns
and his weigh officer, Tony Garland, stored it in his parents' garage in
Hove, East Sussex.
Hendrix later became famous for burning his guitars on stage just this
musical instrument remained undiscovered until final year when it was unearthed by
Garland's nephew.
Another bidder spent �240,000 on the offset management squeeze between The
Beatles and their manager Brian Epstein at the the Fame Bureau's It's More
Than Rock And Roll auction bridge at the Idea Generation Gallery.
The document, billed as the most important music take of all time,
belonged to "fifth Beatle" Epstein, the man of affairs who helped launch the
band later seeing them play at Liverpool's now famous Cavern Club.
He became their manager in 1961 only the constrict was non signed by "John
Winston Lennon", "George Harrison", "James Paul McCartney" and "Richard
Starkey" (Ringo Starr) until January 24, 1962.
Epstein only inked his nominate on the document on October 1, 1962 after getting
the Fab Four a deal with EMI for the release of the exclusive Love Me Do.
He said he did not sign earlier because he wanted the band to be able to walk
away if he could not deliver on his promise to get them a track record deal and a
number one.
The valuable piece of music memorabilia as well features the names of Harold
Hargreaves Harrison and James McCartney, giving consent on behalf of their
sons as they were under 21.
Jim Morrison's last notebook of lyrics and poetry penned in Paris in 1971 just
months before he died sold for �58,000.
Another collector snapped up the lyrics for Sexy Sadie, a song which features
on The Beatles' White Album.
The lyrics were carved into a wooden plaque by John Lennon and represent an
attack on the Maharishi, the Indian guru a lot relied upon by the band.
Lennon changed the name of the call from Maharishi to Sexy Sadie in order to
save young man Beatle George Harrison from embarrassment as he still supported
the man.
The hand-carved cut of woodwind sold for �32,000 - easily below its estimated
leontyne Price of �45,000.
Mr Boucher, world Health Organization works in the music industry, said: "I thought I'd take to pay
a little bit more for the guitar, really. I am going to play it, I hope
some of it rubs off on me."
He declined to divulge what other pieces formed his collection just said he
enjoyed purchasing pieces of musical history.
"It changed music, he raised the bar so high you couldn't catch over it.
Obviously it is an investment, it couldn't not be an investment for that
quantity of money, but I bought it because I like it."
Mr Boucher who plays the guitar himself aforesaid that he would have the catch the
instrument converted for right script playing - Hendrix was left-handed.
Managing director of the Fame Bureau, Ted Owen said that despite inflated
estimates of the reported modesty price, the Hendrix guitar sold for well
over its reserve.
"The auction bridge has the largest array of star lots that we've seen for 15 years.
It was pretty overwhelming."
He said that he was pleased with the functioning of the items sold but
admitted that the Beatles shrink had sold for less than the reserve price.
He aforesaid that the bidders at such an auction included "people world Health Organization are 40-50
plus wHO have nimiety cash, collectors and investors. In the past couple of
years we've seen a number of city funds simply investing in memorabilia. With
the starring items there's always mortal who's passing to put their hand in
their pocket for it. The credit craunch doesn't touch them."
More info
