Lot 107
107
John Lennon
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VA… Read more The following three lots are the property of Rod Murray, friend and flatmate of John Lennon and Stuart Sutcliffe in Liverpool whilst all three were students at Liverpool College of Art in the late 1950s
John Lennon

Details
John Lennon
Two items of John Lennon's which he gave to his flatmate Rod Murray at 3 Gambier Terrace, Liverpool, in early 1960 in lieu of rent, comprising: a glass-based pewter tankard, the baluster body decorated with an engraving of a chinese dragon -- 5 1/8in. (13cm.) high; a metal cigarette lighter with sprung thumbpiece, the rectangular cartouche with scratched initials J L -- 2¼x1 5/8in. (6x4cm.) [initials scratched by Lennon]; and a typescript letter, signed from estate agents O. Jones Williams & Co. Ltd. to Murray at 3 Gambier Terrace, Liverpool, 10th March, 1960, telling him ..We have received a number of complaints regarding the late night parties and excessive noise coming from your flat...We regret that if further complaints are made we shall have no alternative but to terminate your tenancy and take possession of the flat..; and a letter concerning the provenance from Rod Murray (4)
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

In his accompanying letter, Rod Murray explains that both the tin lighter and pewter tankard belonged to John Lennon and were given to Murray in early 1960 in lieu of his share of rent for the flat at 3 Gambier Terrace, the lease for which was in Murray's name ...John never had any money when rent day came around so you took whatever was offered!... The noise the agents complain about in their letter to Murray [addressed to Guy-Murray, Guy being Rod's middle name] ...refers in part to the Beatles practising in the big back room shared by Stuart Sutcliffe and John Lennon; this was the reason along with the Sunday People article about Beatniks that eventually got us evicted... The article Murray refers to entitled This Is The Beatnik Horror, Sunday People, 24th July, 1960, pictured Murray and Lennon in their shared flat at Gambier Terrace

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