A “strange” guitar formerly owned by the Beatles John Lennon and George Harrison was valued at £ 400,000 at the BBC Antiques Roadshow.
The prototype fretless guitar, made in the 1960s, appeared in the Sunday show.
Its current owner recorded sessions for a film company co-founded by Harrison, who asked him to play the guitar.
“I played a few notes and he said,” Yes, you certainly get more out of it than I do. It’s better for you, why don’t you have it? “.”
Bartell’s of California manufactured the instrument, which the owner, Ray, described as “a strange old thing to play”.
A photograph of the episode shows the guitar among Harrison’s collection.
Roadshow antiques expert Jon Baddeley said, “What’s really important is where it came from and it was there in the photo – in George Harrison’s collection. Wow, you can’t do any better than that.”
Evaluating the guitar between £ 300,000 and £ 400,000, he added: “I think in 25 years it is by far the most expensive thing I have ever seen.”
During the episode, filmed at Battle Abbey in Sussex, Mr. Baddeley said: “For a guitar collector, it is first of all a very rare guitar.
“So, for someone who is a Beatles fan, to own a guitar that once belonged to John Lennon and George Harrison, can you have a better story? Two of the greatest rock stars of the 20th century.”
The owner said he always played it regularly: “I never really thought about value, like George being a companion and all that.
“I didn’t know it was worth that much money. I’m lucky I don’t keep it in the house.”
In 2018, a guitar used by George Harrison in the Beatles’ last appearance at the Cavern Club in Liverpool was sold at auction for £ 347,000.
A “strange” guitar formerly owned by the Beatles John Lennon and George Harrison was valued at £ 400,000 at the BBC Antiques Roadshow.
The prototype fretless guitar, made in the 1960s, appeared in the Sunday show.
Its current owner recorded sessions for a film company co-founded by Harrison, who asked him to play the guitar.
“I played a few notes and he said,” Yes, you certainly get more out of it than I do. It’s better for you, why don’t you have it? “.”
Bartell’s of California manufactured the instrument, which the owner, Ray, described as “a strange old thing to play”.
A photograph of the episode shows the guitar among Harrison’s collection.
Roadshow antiques expert Jon Baddeley said, “What’s really important is where it came from and it was there in the photo – in George Harrison’s collection. Wow, you can’t do any better than that.”
Evaluating the guitar between £ 300,000 and £ 400,000, he added: “I think in 25 years it is by far the most expensive thing I have ever seen.”
During the episode, filmed at Battle Abbey in Sussex, Mr. Baddeley said: “For a guitar collector, it is first of all a very rare guitar.
“So, for someone who is a Beatles fan, to own a guitar that once belonged to John Lennon and George Harrison, can you have a better story? Two of the greatest rock stars of the 20th century.”
The owner said he always played it regularly: “I never really thought about value, like George being a companion and all that.
“I didn’t know it was worth that much money. I’m lucky I don’t keep it in the house.”
In 2018, a guitar used by George Harrison in the Beatles’ last appearance at the Cavern Club in Liverpool was sold at auction for £ 347,000.