491

Lot #491: JOHN LENNON - John Lennon-owned Photo-matched Belt Buckle

Currency:GBP Category:Memorabilia / Music Memorabilia Start Price:15,000.00 GBP Estimated At:30,000.00 - 60,000.00 GBP
Lot #491: JOHN LENNON - John Lennon-owned Photo-matched Belt Buckle
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Day 1 and 2 of the auction will be held live with in-person bidding on Thursday 9th and Friday 10th November 2023 at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9LN.

Please note in-person bidding is not available on Days 3 and 4 (Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th November), bids can be placed online or via telephone or written absentee form.
JOHN LENNON - John Lennon-owned Photo-matched Belt Buckle

A belt buckle worn by former Beatle John Lennon. There are several documented images of Lennon wearing this buckle during the period he referred to as his "Lost Weekend", an 18-month separation from Yoko Ono, when he was in a relationship with his personal assistant May Pang. Pang has confirmed to the previous owner that Lennon bought this handmade buckle for himself in Calico, a former mining town in the Southern California desert. Their visit to Calico is referenced in Pang's book Instamatic Karma: Photographs of John Lennon.

Lennon enjoyed wearing the buckle on many occasions as shown in numerous photographs, including his appearance with Harry Nilsson at the March of Dimes Benefit concert in New York on 28 April 1974, in the studio recording taken by photographer Bob Gruen and speaking with Mick Jagger at American Film Institute Salute to James Cagney on March 13, 1974. The buckle can be matched to a black-and-white image of Lennon taken at the Los Angeles Times through the crooked placement of one of the stones.

The handmade Aztec-style buckle ended up in the possession of Spence Berland, who was the Senior Vice President of Record World magazine during the 1970s. Berland was initially contacted by Pang - a fan of the magazine - who asked if he would like to meet Lennon. They set up an interview, and the two became friendly. One day, Lennon noticed Berland wearing a rare solid silver RCA Nipper promotional belt buckle, and expressed interest in owning it. At first, Berland resisted, but in the autumn of 1974, he agreed to swap it with the Aztec-style buckle Lennon was wearing. Photos show the duo together on the day the buckles were exchanged.

This Aztec-style eagle-shaped belt buckle is made of silver nickel and is decorated with nine turquoise-coloured stones. The buckle comes with a handwritten note Lennon wrote to Berland during the trade - "To Spence, Belt Up!" - and is dated "74". The note is adhered to a piece of backing paper. Several years after the exchange, Berland's wife had this note engraved on the back of the buckle.

The buckle and note display some minor marks and discolouration due to age, with some torn sections along the top edge of the paper featuring the note. The buckle is accompanied by a letter of authenticity signed by Berland; a letter from Beatles autograph specialist Frank Caiazzo; two printed images of Breland and Lennon; 12 additional printed images of Lennon wearing the buckle; images of the previous owner with Berland and Pang; a copy of John Lennon: The New York Years by Bob Gruen; and a copy of John Lennon: The Lost Weekend - Living, Loving and Making Rock & Roll signed by Pang. Dimensions (buckle): 6 cm x 8.5 cm x 1.5 cm (2 1/4" x 3 1/4" x 1/2")

Additional Provenance:

Lot 418, Julien's Music Icons Auction on 18 May 2013

Estimate: GBP 30000 - 60000 M

Bidding for this lot will end on Friday, November 10th. The auction will begin at 3:00PM BST and lots are sold sequentially via live auctioneer; tune in to the live streaming broadcast on auction day to follow the pace. Note other lots in the auction may close on Thursday, November 9th, Saturday, November 11th or Sunday, November 12th.