The first recording contract signed by The Beatles will go up for auction this fall. Heritage Auctions will be selling the Uwe Blaschke collection, noted as one of the largest in the world, on September 19th in New York. Blaschke was able to collect many of the band's earliest artifacts and documents from their time as a house band in Hamburg, including the contract that led to their first recording sessions with Tony Sheridan. The contract, signed by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Pete Best, is expected to fetch about $150,000. "This is perhaps the most historically important Beatles document to ever appear at auction," said Dean Harmeyer, Consignment Director at Heritage Auctions. "Without this contract, which directly led to their involvement with Brian Epstein, the Beatles may have never been able achieve their later success as a recording group. And at the time it was a momentous career milestone — they'd finally secured an actual recording deal, something they had only dreamed of before 'My Bonnie'". The sale will also include original posters by Richard Avedon, signed artwork by Klaus Voormann, a rare photograph of George modeling his new leather jacket in 1960 (below), and original letters and postcards. John Lennon often said the band reached its peak as a performing act during the Hamburg years, when youthful ambition and a diet of Preludin whipped the group into a tight frenzy of Rock and Roll perfection. This was the genesis of Beat music. If a time machine was ever invented, you'd absolutely find me at those clubs catching every show during the band's residency. Uwe Blaschke's collection has been on display in Hamburg and I sincerely hope that most of the items will stay together through the auction, if only to enable us to have a complete museum someday devoted to The Beatles. More info at Heritage.
