Signed Copy of ‘Meet the Beatles’ Up For Auction

For true Beatles obsessives, no piece of memorabilia is too obscure. The latest Fab Four treasure heading to auction is a signed copy of their second American album, Meet the Beatles, autographed by all four members and given to Dr. Jules Gordon, who treated George Harrison’s sore throat before the band made their legendary Ed Sullivan Show debut on February 9th, 1964. The sure-to-be-heated bidding war will be handled by New Hampshire-based RR Auction beginning Thursday, March 13th until Thursday, March 20th.

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Though it’s an often overlooked part of the “Beatles on Sullivan” story, Harrison was indeed suffering from vocal issues prior to the band’s game-changing performance, and he sought out assistance from Gordon, who served as house doctor at New York City’s Plaza Hotel from 1942 to 1985. At the time, the New York Times commented on the guitarist-singer’s illness, “Mr. Harrison, who is known as the quiet Beatle, awoke yesterday with a sore throat. He was treated by Dr. Jules Gordon, used a vaporizer and rejoined his colleagues at the studio late in the afternoon.” 

Other Beatles items up for grabs include “a rare fully-signed first UK pressing” of the band’s debut EP, Twist and Shout, the registration for John Lennon’s “famous psychedelic 1965 Rolls Royce Phantom V Limousine” and a pair of Lennon’s distinctive wire-rim eyeglasses. More details are available at the RR Auction website. 

It’s a good time to stock up on Beatles goods: An autographed chunk of wall from the Ed Sullivan Theatre on the night of the band’s first Sullivan appearance is expected to fetch more than $800,000 in April. Meanwhile, George Harrison and Ringo Starr’s jackets worn during the Beatles’ 1965 film Help! and featured on the cover of the classic soundtrack will find a new home next month through Omega Auctions.