A rare autographed copy of The Beatles' 1965 vinyl album Rubber Soul

Parlophone PMC 1267, second UK mono pressing, the back cover signed in blue ballpoint by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, together with a copy of a black and white photograph by Stephen Goldblatt of John signing the album for the original recipient and a COA issued by Frank Caiazzo, dated August 8, 2016, and a copy of Tom Murray's 68 Made Day Out (2016).



This copy of Rubber Soul was signed on Sunday 28th July 1968, during what has become known as the Beatles' "Mad Day Out." In the afternoon and early evening of that day, the Beatles, accompanied by the well-known war photographer, Don McCullin, together with photographers Ronald Fitzgibbon, Stephen Goldblatt, Tony Bramwell and Mal Evans, visited some seven different locations around London. Also in the entourage were Yoko Ono, Mal's young son Gary and Paul's then girlfriend, Francie Schwarz. The sixth stop of the day was at Wapping Pier Head in the London Docks area. A number of now-iconic photographs emanated from this stage of the day's sessions, including Paul, stripped to the waist and draped in a chain, posing by the edge of the River Thames and John, wearing Don McCullin's camouflaged jacket, lying on the ground with the other three Beatles standing over him.



During these proceedings, several local residents became aware of their famous visitors, including a female fan who presented this album to the band for signature and who was photographed by Stephen Goldblatt as John was adding his autograph (a copy of which is present with this lot).



Genuine sets of Beatles' autographs post-1967 are extremely rare indeed, let alone from such an historic event, and it is no exaggeration to say that only a handful of like examples are known.



Provenance: Lot 217, Sotheby's London, Stage & Screen, 3rd December 2002.

12.5 x 12.5in

Saleroom notices