Artifact: Beatles and Roy Orbison Signed Tour Program

Up for bid at Heritage Auctions.

Details:

This fascinating lot is the finest group of items we've ever encountered - and that may exist, anywhere - documenting the Beatles tour of the UK with Roy Orbison in May/June 1963. The story is well known that at the onset of the tour the Beatles were the support act for the more established Orbison. However, with their third single "From Me To You" at the top of the UK charts as the tour began and the fans clearly more interested in the exciting young Beatles, the playing order was flipped so that Orbison became the opening act for the Beatles.

Included here is an exceptional set of Beatle autographs, affixed neatly in bold black ink by each near their respective photos on the tour book bio page. On the next page is a full page shot of Orbison, also beautifully signed in black ink and inscribed "Sincerely,". (And beyond that, there's also a fine blue ink autograph by David Macbeth, another performer on the bill.)

In this collection are 15 ticket stubs, representing the bulk of the 21 dates of the tour, itself perhaps the most complete set of Beatles-Orbison tickets in existence. Rounding out the lot is a handbill for the tour's June 3rd appearance in Woolwich. Simply an incredible group!