Complete set of Beatles autographs triples estimate at auction

The autographs all date from the band's early years

A complete set of Beatles autographs sold for more than three times its estimate at an auction in Leicestershire.

The sale, at Gildings Auctioneers in Market Harborough, coincided with the 60th anniversary of the band performing at Leicester's De Montfort Hall.

One complete set written on a police charge sheet, which had an estimate of £600-£1,000, fetched £3,400.

Two other complete sets also fetched high prices at the auction on Tuesday.

The autographs all date from the early years of the band's success.

The first set was collected by a police chief constable's driver as he took the band back to their hotel after a concert at Newcastle City Hall in November 1963.

One set was written on the back of a police charge sheet

The signatures were written on a police charge sheet as that was the only paper he had to hand.

The second set, on the front and back of an early publicity photo, sold for £1,400 while the remaining set, which was given to the Northamptonshire-based seller in 1964 by her boyfriend, fetched £1,600.

The Beatles' first appearance at De Montfort Hall on 31 March 1963 marked the final date of a theatre tour.

Gildings' memorabilia director, Will Gilding, said: "The vendor, who was at the sale to see them sell, was really quite taken aback by the result.

"But it goes to show, Beatlemania is still alive and kicking, 60 years from when it first took off.

"Without doubt the stand-out result was the set of signatures on the back of a police charge sheet which had been obtained by our vendor's father after the gig Newcastle City Hall in November '63, which generated a great response from bidders throughout the UK and North America."