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Oldies But Goodies
On Thursday, 10 July, at the grand salon of Christie's auction house in London's South Kensington, an old yellowish piece of paper written with a black felt-tip pen will be sold for over £300,000. (Experts at the auction house say privately that they expect a higher sale price).
The item in question is the original hand-written lyrics from John Lennon's anthem 'Give Peace A Chance'. It was penned at the legendary 'Bed-In' in 1969 at the stately Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal.
John Lennon gave a young Canadian university student, Gail Renard, the piece of paper. It is reported that he said: " One day ...(it)... will be worth something".
The fashion for collecting artifacts from popular artists probably started at the original Hard Rock Cafe at London's Hyde Park Corner in the mid-1970s. ('They still display many 'valuable' items such as Fender guitars, clothing and rare photographs).
Christie's caught on to the trend soon. Many people assume the rooms at South Kensington are dedicated only to antiques and watercolours. Christie's 'Rock and Pop Memorabilia' department provides a lot of cash to the firm. (This is to the chagrin of rival Sotheby's).
Perhaps with war in Iraq and Afghanistan continuing, it is the right time to remember 'Give Peace A Chance'.
Every year, on 8 December, the anniversary of Lennon's death, a two dozen roses, half red and half white, are left anonymously by the door of Suite 1742.
Christie's is certain to prove that money can buy you love.
