East Sussex man’s Beatles guitar valued at £400,000 on Antiques Roadshow

A guitar formerly owned by Beatles John Lennon and George Harrison was valued for £400,000 when it was featured on the BBC’s Antique Roadshow at Battle Abbey.
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The legendary instrument appeared on Sunday’s episode which was filmed in the town in July 2019.

The item is thought to be ‘one of the most valuable items ever seen on the show’, according to the BBC.

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Ray, the owner, said the item came into his possession while he was doing a recording session for a film company co-founded by George Harrison.

Antiques Roadshow at Battle AbbeyAntiques Roadshow at Battle Abbey
Antiques Roadshow at Battle Abbey

He told the programme: “I was asked to play guitar, which was great, had lots of laughs, and at the end of the session George said ‘I’m not sure what to do with this but you have a go’. And I just got handed the guitar.

“It’s a strange old thing to play.

“I played a few notes and he said ‘yeah you’re definitely getting more out of it than I am. It’s doing better for you. Why don’t you have it?’”

The guitar was made by Bartell of California, in Riverside, California, in the 1960s.

Antiques Roadshow at Battle AbbeyAntiques Roadshow at Battle Abbey
Antiques Roadshow at Battle Abbey
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According to a historian, Ray’s guitar was a ‘very rare one’ as it was a fretless guitar and the only one ever made by Bartell.

The company owner was reported to have said he only ever gave one guitar to John Lennon and another to Jimi Hendrix.

Antiques Roadshow expert Jon Baddeley said ‘the icing on the cake’ was a photograph Ray brought along with him on the day of George Harrison with his guitar collection, including the one in Ray’s possession.

Mr Baddeley added: “I would suggest, at auction, I would not be surprised if it made between £300,000 and £400,000.

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“I think in 25 years it’s by far the most expensive thing I’ve ever seen.

“What’s really important is the provenance and there it was in the photograph – in George Harrison’s collection. Wow, you can’t do better than that.”

Ray said the estimation ‘surprised’ him as he had never really thought about value as ‘George was a mate’.

He added: “I don’t really know what to say actually – I’m really taken aback by it. I didn’t realise it was worth that much money. It’s lucky I don’t keep it in the house.”