A parcel of ephemera from George Harrison's Dark Horse Tour, sent to Pattie Boyd and Eric Clapton by George Harrison, circa November 1974, the manila envelope stamped American Aviation Services Inc. and addressed in blue ink in Harrison's hand to Pattie & Eric Clapton with love from Jack & Jill Lumber [the touring pseudonyms of George and Olivia Harrison, then Arias], the reverse similarly addressed in Harrison's hand By Carl, to Eric & Pattie, from Jack (George) & Jill lumBer, with additional 'om' symbol, the envelope containing: a handwritten note from George in blue ink on the reverse of a tour schedule for 21 November 1974, reading E + P God Bless us all love from G.O., with a love heart drawn by Harrison around each set of initials, an 'om' symbol, and a smiley face inside the 'O' for Olivia; five original gelatin silver tour photographs by Henry Grossman, all signed by the photographer (one recto, four verso), two shots featuring Harrison on stage with Billy Preston, one shot - featuring George gargling in the bathroom backstage - inscribed in blue ink in Harrison's hand recto Honey - Vinegar + Hot Water?; a gelatin silver print of Harrison, Billy Preston and US President Gerald Ford by an unknown photographer; a Dark Horse Records Christmas card addressed To Pattie + old Clapper in an unknown hand; a group of Dark Horse Records promotional patches and buttons; two incense sticks; three unused Dark Horse Records bumper stickers, one inscribed in blue ink by Harrison peel off and stick on the inside of you're [sic] windows; a facsimile hotel room allocation for the Fairmont Mayo, Tulsa, Oklahoma, stamped with numerous red 'om' symbol ink-stamps; an original concert ticket for George Harrison at the Tulsa Assembly Center on 21 November 1974; two small frames from a photographer's contact sheet showing Harrison's tour jet with Dark Horso logo and 'om' symbol; and a small format book The Perfection of Yoga by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Envelope 13 x 10 in. (33 x 25 cm.); note 14 x 8¹⁄₂ in. (25.5 x 21.5 cm.); bumper stickers 3 x 12 in. (7.6 x 30.5 cm.); photos approx. 8 x 10 in. (20.3 x 25.4 cm.), the shot with Gerald Ford 7¹⁄₂ x 12⁷⁄₈ in. (19 x 33 cm.)

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Lot Essay

Under the strain of George Harrison's infidelities and Eric Clapton's obsessive pursuit, Pattie Boyd made the decision to leave George in July 1974. In her 2007 autobiography Wonderful Today, Boyd explains The final straw was his affair with Maureen Starr, Ringo’s wife... I felt we were like chopsticks joined together and cracking apart; something had to give... On July 3, I told George I was leaving him... The next day, with a great sadness in my heart, I packed some things, said a tearful goodbye to Friar Park and our two Siamese cats, then flew to America. Within a few weeks, Pattie had joined Eric on his US tour.

By October, George had flown to Los Angeles to begin rehearsals for his forthcoming Dark Horse Tour and met Olivia Arias in person for the first time, having regularly liaised professionally by telephone since 1972. Impressed with Olivia's work on his account at A&M Records, George had arranged for her to work exclusively for the US office of his new record label Dark Horse Records. The pair soon became romantically involved on tour, as evidenced by George's note to Eric and Pattie. Speaking to Rolling Stone in 1979, Harrison revealed: After I split up from Pattie, I went on a bit of a bender to make up for all the years I’d been married... I just went on a binge, went on the road… all that sort of thing, until it got to the point where I had no voice and almost no body at times. Then I met Olivia and it all worked out fine.

Interviewed for the Sunday Times Magazine in 2011, Pattie Boyd reflected on receiving this note from George Harrison E+P God Bless Us All, love from G.O., during his Dark Horse Tour: George’s note was like a forgiveness. It meant a lot to me. I didn’t feel great about leaving him and it showed me he was happy. It was as if the hurt had finally been accepted and healed.

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Envelope with significant handling wear consistent with age and use: creasing, peripheral discolouration, edge wear, surface soiling, scattered stains, the inscriptions bold.
Two gelatin silver prints on gloss single-weight paper: George and Billy Preston on stage signed by Henry Grossman in white ink recto, bumps to corners, several creases - some with emulsion cracks and tiny spots of surface loss, scattered splash marks, overall light surface abrasion, several surface scratches and scuffs, credit stamp verso and hand dated, some colour transfer verso. George, Billy and President Gerald Ford - area of chemical staining and paper/adhesive residue recto where a sticker was removed at one time, and general handling wear.
Four gelatin silver prints on semi-gloss double-weight paper, all signed and dated by Grossman verso: overall good with handling wear consistent with age and use including bumps to corners, occasional surface scratches, the occasional crease, the odd spot of fingersoiling, the shot of George gargling with a crackled crease across George's shoulders and some smudging to ink inscription, the shot at airfield with faint chemical staining to upper edge and a red ink mark to left margin.
Harrison "God Bless" note on facsimile tour schedule: soft horizontal fold not affecting inscription, creasing to edges and corners, peripheral age toning to paper.
Bumper stickers good, unused with original backing, some creases, surface soiling to backing paper, Harrison's ink inscription light and pale due to the vinyl surface repelling the ink somewhat at the time of writing.
Dark Horse patches very good. Black Music patch with old adhesive staining.
Concert ticket with some creasing and bumps to corners.
Two 'Om' badges taped to a hotel stationery folder for the Fairmont Mayo Hotel, the tape old and soiled, the badges rusted and soiled.
Christmas card good.
Book a little worn consistent with use, yellowish stains to edge of front and back cover, some staining to text.
Facsimile hotel allocation folded with general handling wear and creases.

Print Report