A sizeable piece of backdrop from the Ed Sullivan Theater signed by the Beatles during their first appearance on the show could fetch $800,000 when it crosses the block at Heritage Auctions on April 26. This collectors item is signed by the Beatles when they played the program on February 9, 1964, Appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, their National Introduction to American Fans. Each Beatle also drew a caricature by their autograph. The piece, measures more than 48-inches long and 16-inches across, also has a note “The ‘Beatles’ were here 2/9/64”.
This band signed the piece vertically, with Ringo Starr signing on top, George Harrison signing below him, with Paul McCartney (signed as “Uncle Paul McCartney”) and John Lennon on the bottom.
“There is no more important band in rock and roll than The Beatles and there was no moment more important in solidifying their worldwide popularity than the moment they played Ed Sullivan on Feb. 9, 1964,” said Garry Shrum, Consignment Director of Music Memorabilia at Heritage Auctions. “Now, almost 50 years to the day since it was signed, this piece has emerged from private hands and is looking to take its rightful place as one of the single-most important pieces of Beatles memorabilia in existence.”
This is the largest set of Beatles autographs from the most important moment in music history – the beginning of Beatlemania and The British Invasion.
