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A handwritten letter with drawings by Syd Barrett, a founding member and the original primary songwriter in Pink Floyd. Written in 1965, this 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.
Pink Floyd's Roger Waters first met Syd through their mothers' friendship, as well as at a Saturday-morning art class at Homerton College in Cambridge, where he would also meet David Gilmour. Syd later trained as a painter and continued to pursue his passion for the visual arts throughout his time with Pink Floyd and into the subsequent reclusive years in Cambridge, until his passing. It is therefore no surprise that a letter by his hand, such as this one, includes drawings to accompany his words.
The first drawing, rendered in black ink, depicts the four members of the band at the time - Roger Waters, Nick Mason, Bob Close, and Syd himself - playing in a recording studio at Broadhurst Gardens, London.
Each figure is labelled by their first name, except Syd, who identifies himself simply as "Me". He has obscured his face and head with an excess of ink, resembling dishevelled, overgrown hair, and explained this with the inscription, "I can't draw me".
The second drawing, on the reverse side, shows Syd in the recording booth, his face visible this time and seemingly perturbed. An opaque panel in the background is labelled, "Everyone is in here larfing", echoing the qualms Syd expresses in the letter about being alone in the recording booth, unable to see the others outside while they could see him.
Handwritten in black ink on both sides of a larger sheet of yellow paper, the letter describes the band's recording process of five tracks, telling Jenny that "the tracks sound terrific so far, especially King Bee". Syd closes by confessing he is feeling "fed up" on the day of writing, wishing he were in "Cambridge or Greece but not in London where all I do is spend money and travel. The sun is shining though." He signs the letter, "Love, Roger," using his given name, Roger Keith "Syd" Barrett.
Regarding this letter, Jenny Spires has said:
"The letter was written to me in Jan 65 referencing some recording Syd 'told' me about the night I met him in Dec 64. The band had started recording at Broadhurst Gardens Dec '64 when Chris Dennis was still the vocalist in the band (Syd was rhythm guitar). However, in Jan '65, Chris had left the band and Syd replaced him on lead vocals. The recording of King Bee mentioned here was entirely new. Then, when Rado 'Bob', left a few weeks later, Syd became lead guitarist. The actual recordings Syd is writing about in this letter are Jan '65 and the date of the first recordings Syd 'told' me about were Dec '64."
The letter is housed in a laminated plastic enclosure attached to a solid, transparent base, with the first side exposed. In this condition, it was displayed at Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains, which opened at the Victoria and Albert Museum in May 2017. The lot toured worldwide with this exhibition until 2025.
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 guitar player from Cambridge who studied with them at the Regent Street Polytechnic, and Syd Barrett. 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 wit and 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: 41 cm x 26 cm x 0.5 cm (16.25" x 10.25" x 0.25")
Copyright Syd Barrett Music Ltd
Estimate: £5,000 - 10,000 M