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    Sale 5397

    Popular Culture: Rock & Pop Memorabilia

    London, South Kensington

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    10 July 2008

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    • The Beatles
    Lot 164

    The Beatles

    Price realised

    GBP 5,000

    Estimate

    GBP 3,000 - GBP 5,000

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    The Beatles
    David Wynne
    The Beatles, 1964
    bronze, all signed and numbered, George and Ringo 7/10, John 8/12 and Paul 10/10
    largest -- 8½in. (21.6cm.) high (4)

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    Literature and exhibited

    Literature

    Beatle Bronze, Philip Oakes, Queen, magazine, 6 May, 1964


    Lot Essay

    The Beatles sat for sculptor David Wynne whilst in Paris in January, 1964. In an article in Queen magazine, 6 May, 1964, Philip Oakes describes Wynne's meeting with the Beatles, and his reasons for wanting to immortalise them in bronze...They are of more value than any political party or Establishment thing. They tell you to enjoy yourself. They stand for free expression, and an end to all things phoney. According to Oakes, art patron Sir Edward Beddington- Behrens, patron to Sir Jacob Esptein and Oscar Kokoschka, was impressed with the sculpture, and ordered the first cast; Brian Epstein ordered the second. Apparently, Epstein was not at first keen on the idea of the sculpture, but when Wynne told him that it would be exhibited in his summer show alongside his portraits of Yehudi Menuhin and John Gielgud, he warmed to the idea, and arranged the sitting in Paris. Wynne recalls the occasion...I flew to Paris where they were appearing at the Olympia, and got to their hotel around teatime. They were still in bed, and they simply ignored me. Ringo seemed the most sympathetic, so I worked on him and he finally agreed to pose...Paul agreed to pose next, then John, then George... This was the only occasion the Beatles agreed to sit for a sculptor.

    Other information

    Special Notice

    VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price and at 15% on the buyer's premium


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