A complete set of autographs by The Beatles sold for a premium-inclusive £7,800 at Ewbank’s, demonstrating just how enduring their value remains.

Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr signed a British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) flight menu in March 1965.

The menu was for the Beatles Bahamas Special flight – during the filming of Help! – and it was signed in person for the vendor who was a stewardess working in first class on the trip from the Bahamas to JFK New York.

Another BOAC souvenir bearing The Beatles’ signatures also went under the hammer. 

The BOAC Junior Jet Club Log Book was signed on an inside page by John and Ringo, with the date March 31, 1966. The log book sold for £2,470.

The vendor lived in Trinidad for some years. Her father was a pilot for BOAC and she and her brothers belonged to the Junior Pilots’ Club. Every flight they took was recorded in their book. On the last journey home to London, Ringo and John were on board and they, instead of the pilot, signed off the flight record. 

Alistair McCrea, partner and head of entertainment and memorabilia at Ewbank’s, said: “When it comes to rock and pop memorabilia, there are two markets: The Beatles and everyone else.

“The Beatles follow their own trajectory. Even though a vast wealth of memorabilia, including signatures, survives, values remain high. Rarity can play a part too. So when you get something exceptional like these, with the signatures tied to specific Beatles events like the Beatles Bahamas Special flight, whose history is well recorded, it enhances the attraction.”

Other highlights from the sale on December 14 included a James Bond Diamonds Are Forever (1971) original script, unit and cast lists and publicity documents.

The documents came from the collection of John Willis, publicity director for Disney, Columbia, United Artists, The Rank Organisation and 20th Century Fox from 1960-72. 

The press releases included in the lot contain fascinating production details for Diamonds Are Forever – the waterbed was constructed to take 700 gallons of salt water and 3,000 fish for the love scene; and tight security guarded the £60,000 of diamonds brought into Pinewood Studios for the main titles of the film.

Estimated at £1,500 to £2,000, the lot sold for £5,460.

From the same collection came production scripts and unit and cast lists for Casino Royale, which starred David Niven as Bond. It sold for £4,160.

An album containing autograph letters with more than 130 signatures of political and theatrical interest from 1894-1936 sold for £3,380. Among the autographs is Winston Churchill’s.

Ewbank’s are accepting consignments for future auctions. Please call 01483 223101 or email [email protected]