A parcel of Dark Horse Tour ephemera sent to Pattie Boyd and Eric Clapton, 1974
Important information about this lot
Price Realised GBP 6,930
Estimate
GBP 2,000 - GBP 3,000
Estimates do not reflect the final hammer price and do not include buyer's premium, any applicable taxes or artist's resale right. Please see the Conditions of Sale for full details.
Closed: 22 Mar 2024
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George Harrison
A parcel of Dark Horse Tour ephemera sent to Pattie Boyd and Eric Clapton, 1974
This lot is offered by Christie Manson & Woods Ltd
Christie Manson & Woods Ltd
8 King Street, St. James's, London, SW1Y 6QT, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Fax: +44 (0)20 7839 2869
Brought to you by
Adrian Hume-SayerDirector, Specialist
A Christie's specialist may contact you to discuss this lot or to notify you if the condition changes prior to the sale.
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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You have agreed to be bound by the Conditions of Sale and if your bid is successful, you are legally obliged to pay for the lot you have won. The purchase price for a successful bid will be the sum of your final bid plus a buyer’s premium, any applicable taxes and any artist resale royalty, exclusive of shipping-related expenses.
Condition report
A Christie's specialist may contact you to discuss this lot or to notify you if the condition changes prior to the sale.
The condition of lots can vary widely and the nature of the lots sold means that they are unlikely to be in a perfect condition. Lots are sold in the condition they are in at the time of sale.
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.
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Lot 52Sale 22891
A parcel of Dark Horse Tour ephemera sent to Pattie Boyd and Eric Clapton, 1974George HarrisonEstimate: GBP 2,000 - 3,000
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