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Permalink Reply by Jim Cushman on May 19, 2021 at 10:04am

I can tell you. For 5 years...we had it in our traveling Beatles memorabilia exhibit, "The Magical History Tour."

We had a great array of autographs...personal items...owned and worn clothing...the "original "Quarrymen" drum kit...the Diana Dors mannequin from the cover of "Sgt. Pepper"...items from Stu Sutcliffe...etc. Then at the end of our exhibit......as you walked out...there was the "Double Fantasy" album that Lennon signed at appox. 5pm on December 8, 1980...in a large case...before he was shot at 10:50 pm. We would get throngs of fans coming in to see the exhibit and the album. Some thought it shouldn't have been on display...but...it is part of Beatles history. I held it in my hands several times...very powerful. It was sold by Goldin Auctions in December 2020

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Permalink Reply by J.Seah on May 19, 2021 at 10:10am

Here is the Goldin Auction.

https://goldinauctions.com/john_lennon_signed__double_fantasy__albu...

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Permalink Reply by Tobi on May 19, 2021 at 2:43pm

Thank you for the interesting facts and the link to Goldin.

But did Chapman lost the signed LP after he was arrested or was it sold by his family?

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on May 19, 2021 at 2:45pm

It was evidence I believe and you can't profit on a crime so I doubt it.

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Permalink Reply by BallroomDays67 on May 19, 2021 at 2:51pm

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4714250/Album-signed-John-...

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Permalink Reply by Jim Cushman on May 19, 2021 at 3:43pm

You're welcome Tobi. What happened was Lennon's killer had put the signed album up into a big planter near the Dakota archway before he shot Lennon. The next day...someone who worked for the city of NY stopped by the Dakota bldg to see what was going on. He said that something fell out of the planter...and he picked it up. It was a copy of "Double Fantasy". He brought it home...and saw that it was signed on the front. He heard that Lennon had signed an album for his killer before his death. He called the police and told them he THOUGHT that he might have THAT album. They took his information...and he gave them the LP as evidence. He thought no more about it. Months later...the police contacted him...and asked him if he'd like the album back. He kept the album for years...and finally put it up for sale. It's been sold a couple of times. The last time was in December 2020.

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Permalink Reply by spaceman on May 19, 2021 at 4:25pm

Great historical information Jim. 

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Permalink Reply by Jim Cushman on May 20, 2021 at 5:22am

Thank you Spaceman...

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Permalink Reply by Martin Peters on May 19, 2021 at 4:29pm

In December, 1992, Barbara Walters interviewed Lennon's killer on a special edition of "20/20".  I watched that episode and waited for Walters to ask about the album but the subject never came up.  Sometime later I decided to write him and put the question directly to him.  I received a letter from him in August, 1993, in which he answered the question to the best of his ability.  He wrote "The album was found that evening by a man who still retains it - legally it's moot to try to get it back.  I wish him well, of course."  I am attaching a scan of that section of the letter.  That was almost 30 years ago and, as has been stated, the album has sold a number of times since.  For a long while it was offered by Gary Zimet of "Moments in Time" and, in fact, the album is still featured on the website with a "Price Available On Request" option..

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Permalink Reply by Jim Cushman on May 20, 2021 at 5:23am

Hey Martin...yeah...I saw that "20/20" as well. 

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