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On the Block this Weekend: Beatles Photo Signed to Dylan's World Tour 1966 Drummer [Update: Sold for about $27,000 with buyer's premium.]

One of the most interesting Beatles pieces I've seen in a long time is up for auction this weekend. It's an 8.5x6.5-inch Beatles photo signed by the band to Mickey Jones, drummer on Bob Dylan's legendary World Tour 1966.

There's a lot to like about this photo; the Dylan connection, the playful poses of The Boys and the bold signatures. But what I love the most are the inscriptions, especially Paul's:

"To Mickey, definitely the worst drummer in the U.S.A!

Paul McCartney

(I'm only joking!)"

Most musician autographs are written for fans, of course, so it's unusual to find ones with inscriptions that show the artist's sense of humor or personal connection to the recipient. It seems clear that Paul and Jones were friends, as probably John was, with his: "To Mickey the Cockney, good luck lad from John Lennon." George's and Ringo's are fairly generic.

There have been a few really great signed Beatles photos up for auction recently, including one closing today at RRAuction, and another at Iconic Memorabilia that just sold for $25,000. Those photos are absolutely beautiful 8x10s...quintessential signed Beatles photos. But the rare personality and history captured in this signed photo make it my personal favorite.

A little background on this photo:

Rock specialist Roger Epperson recalls buying it on eBay in the late '90s. He held it for a year or so and sold it to a collector, also named Mickey, at a price in the range of what nice band-signed Beatles 8x10s go for today. That would have been a strong premium back then, so it will be interesting to see what it hammers for on Sunday.

The piece is up for auction this Saturday, July 16, during International Autograph Auctions' Saturday and Sunday Auction at the Radisson Edwardian Hotel, Heathrow, in the UK.

View the listing.

Tags: auction, beatles, bob, dylan, iaa, mccartney, mickey jones, paul, photo, signed

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Permalink Reply by Chad B on July 13, 2011 at 1:00pm

Beautiful item with great history.

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Permalink Reply by James R. Altmann on July 15, 2011 at 9:19pm

It was probably easier for Mickey Jones to procure an autograph from The Beatles than the guy he was playing drums behind on stage every night. Fantastic piece, though Ringo & John's images are a little off-putting. You can almost hear Epstein or the photographer's assistant directing them from the side - "Now, squeeze in a bit more Ringo. You're all not quite in frame. Hell, just sit on top of John. George: you use Ringo as a leaning post."