Festive No.1

The Beatles topped the charts again recently as a set of the Fab Four’s autographs claimed the highest price at a successful Christmas collective auction held by Halls Fine Art Auctioneers.

The signatures, which were contained in 'The Beatles Book' by Norman Parkinson, dating from around 1964, smashed their pre-sale estimate of £2,500 to sell for £3,400 to a Lancashire bidder at Halls’ £150,000 auction.

The autographs were obtained by the North Shropshire vendor’s father whilst he was working as chief make-up artist on the Fab Four’s film A Hard Day’s Night.

A set of autographs from the original line up of the Rolling Stones did not hit the same high note, however. The signatures, which were obtained in Willenhall, near Wolverhampton on 4 February, 1964, sold for £550.