An archive of photography from the late Angus McBean has surpassed its estimate at a UK auction held by Lacy, Scott and Knight on April 12.
 McBean created the photograph for the Beatles' Please Please Me, though the original transparencies were thrown in the bin at record label EMI's headquarters. |
The collection - consigned by McBean's former partner - made £88,000 ($135,000), achieving a 76% increase on its £50,000 estimate. It contained rare images of stars such as Audrey Hepburn and Vivien Leigh, as well as test shots for the cover of the Beatles' Blue Album (1967-1970)
McBean was the photographer behind the iconic cover image of the Beatles' very first album, Please Please Me, as well as for The Blue Album compilation, which shows the band recreating the same photograph.
Two test shots for The Blue Album sold for £650 ($996), though the original transparencies for Please Please Me are said to have been thrown away by executives at the EMI headquarters.
 McBean's London studio was host to a line-up of celebrity names |
The top lot of the sale was the visitors' book for McBean's London studio, which was signed by an array of famous names from across the decades, including the Fab Four. Valued at £10,000, it sold for £11,000 ($16,861) - a 10% increase on estimate.
"The magic ingredient is the iconic stars of stage and screen, beautifully photographed by a pioneer of photo-surrealism who was in fact one of Britain's pre-eminent photographers of the mid 20th century," commented the auction house's Edward Crichton on the collection's appeal.
Paul Fraser Collectibles has a huge stock of signed photographs for sale. We also specialise in bringing you the best Beatles memorabilia available on the current market.
