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A letter handwritten by Syd Barrett, a founding member and the original primary songwriter behind Pink Floyd. Written in 1965, this intimate letter was penned by the psychedelia pioneer to his then-girlfriend, Jenny Spires, and comes to market directly from her personal collection. The two Syd Barrett letters included in this sale (Lots 279 and 280) were displayed as part of the Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains exhibition, which opened at the V&A Museum in May 2017 and toured worldwide until 2024. Both letters also feature in the book titled Barrett by Russell Beecher and Will Shutes, published in 2011. This book was authorised, approved and created in conjunction with the Estate of Roger Keith Barrett, aka Syd Barrett.
The significance of Syd's unique talent and seminal contributions to Pink Floyd's early success can never be overstated, even though he left the band at 22. He wrote the majority of the band's debut studio album, "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn", and his story remains as enigmatic today as it was at the time.
Syd's witty, whimsical, and at times uncanny songwriting, delivered through his jocular yet powerful voice, enriched an already thriving psychedelia movement in the late 1960s. An example of his unique style can be found in this extract from the track "Bike":
I've got a bike, you can ride it if you like
It's got a basket, a bell that rings
And things to make it look good
I'd give it to you if I could, but I borrowed it
This simple yet idiosyncratic lyricism is by no means affected, as evidenced by the ease of its natural appearance in this deeply personal letter. Writing to his girlfriend, Jenny Spires, Syd confides, "I played my guitar tonight and drank beer and wrote a song about the prettiest thing in the world". The song he references is "Bike," the very track quoted above.
Handwritten in black ink across two sheets of blue paper, Syd's message is effusive and tender, repeatedly praising how "pretty" Jenny is. At one point, he spontaneously invents a sprawling, stream-of-consciousness word that comprises many, including "twistravegroovey". He signs the letter, "I am yours, Roger," using his given name, Roger Keith "Syd" Barrett.
On the first page, Syd has sketched a black van to accompany the anecdote in the letter, which recalls how the band customised their first Bedford touring van with a white stripe and their band name. This was in 1965, before the band became known as Pink Floyd, when their first touring vehicle cost £20 and was only just large enough to carry their P.A. and instruments. He captions the drawing humorously, "you can't see the name because it is too small you can't see me because I'm in the back".
The letter's two pages are housed in the same wooden frame in which they were displayed at Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains, opened at the Victoria and Albert Museum in May 2017. The lot toured worldwide with this exhibition until 2025. A photograph from this period of Floyd drummer Nick Mason standing by the van with his drum kit encased is placed beside the two letter pages.
Nick Mason, Roger Waters and Richard Wright started playing music together in 1963. By late 1964, after several changes of line-up and band name, they had formed a five-piece with Bob Klose, a guitarist from Cambridge who studied with them at Regent Street Polytechnic, and Syd Barrett, who was studying art at Camberwell College of Arts. Jenny Spires, also from Cambridge, is referred to as Jennifer Gentle in "Lucifer Sam", the second track on the band's debut album.
Syd wrote "Jugband Blues", his final Pink Floyd song, which appeared on the band's second studio album, "A Saucerful of Secrets". The lyrics were as playful as ever despite his spiralling mental state at the time, using sarcasm to poignantly convey awareness of his impending removal from the band. He went on to release two solo albums in 1970, The Madcap Laughs and Barrett, with his former bandmates David Gilmour and Roger Waters producing the first, and Richard Wright alongside Waters producing the second.
Barrett's influence on Pink Floyd endured long after his departure, with two of the band's most celebrated songs, "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" and "Wish You Were Here", serving as powerful tributes to their beloved friend and a truly creative genius. Barrett passed away in 2006. Dimensions (in frame): 100 cm x 42 cm x 3.75 cm (39.25" x 16.5" x 1.5")
Copyright Syd Barrett Music Ltd
Estimate: £5,000 - 10,000 M