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An incredibly rare issue of Mersey Beat newspaper Vol 1 No 13, featuring an early photograph of The Beatles, including drummer Pete Best, all dressed in their original leather-jacket attire. The photograph was taken by Albert Marrion.
Mersey Beat was founded in Liverpool during the early 1960s by Bill Harry, one of John Lennon's classmates at Liverpool Art College. The newspaper focused on local bands and artists visiting the town, and had a strong association with The Beatles, often featuring exclusive stories and photos of them. This edition is widely considered the most desirable issue of the publication, as few known copies exist.
Dated "January 4-18, 1962", the edition is printed on newspaper stock and comprises eight pages featuring multiple articles. The cover features the headline "Beatles Top Poll!" relating to the Mersey Beat Popularity Poll on page 4, and an advert for Brian Epstein's company NEMS is printed in the top right corner. The poll list shows The Beatles at the number one spot, and Rory Storm and the Hurricanes (who featured Ringo Starr on drums at the time) are placed at number four.
There is an advert for upcoming gigs at the infamous Cavern Club on the back page, with The Beatles scheduled to play four dates during January 1962. The newspaper displays discolouration due to age, a fold line from previous storage, and small tears and wear to the spine. The lot comes with a Tracks Ltd. letter of authenticity. Dimensions: 32 cm x 25 cm x 0.2 cm (12.5" x 9.75" x 0.25")
Estimate: £10,000 - 20,000 †
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