Fan's Beatles memorabilia could fetch £10,000

The rare profile shot of the singer-songwriter and a hand-written playlist framed alongside could fetch £10,000 or even more when they go under the hammer in June.

Owner Brian Shadwick, of Lengdale Court, Rawmarsh, only found out how much the unsual ’60s memento was worth after taking it along as afterthought when he visited an antique specialist to have a chest of drawers valued.

“The dealers called me back to say that the chest of drawers was worth about £600 but that the photo was much more interesting,” he said.

“I paid £50 for it two years ago but they said it could be worth 200 times that.

“The photo is interesting in that it shows Lennon as a young man in a happy mood.”

The playlist, understood to date a concert in 1963, includes full Beatles song titles such as She Loves You, Can’t Buy Me Love and All My Loving, along with abbreviated versions such as Saw Her Stand (I Saw Her Standing There) and Twist (Twist and Shout).

Brian’s collection of unusual Beatles collectables does not end with the distinctive Lennon portrait.

He also owns a rare copy of the banned album cover for Canadian compilation Yesterday and Today, which was taken off the shelves after its image of a disembowelled baby doll was deemed offensive.

When the Lennon photo comes up for auction in Derby, David is set to make his money back several times, but he said that he would be happy to keep it if the reserve price of £6,000 is not met.

“I don’t mind if I don’t sell it as it is nice to own a real piece of history,” he said.