The iconic leather jacket that George Harrison wore during the Beatles' early days in Hamburg has sold today (December 12) as part of Bonhams' Entertainment Memorabilia auction in London.
 George Harrison was a pioneer of the Beatles' signature style |
The jacket, which was consigned along with other items from the Harrison family collection, sold for £110,450 ($178,015), pushing towards the top end of its £90,000-120,000 estimate.
"This leather jacket is instantly recognisable and was an important part of the Beatles image in their early years. George Harrison was one of the pioneers of this signature style, taking inspiration from his peers in Hamburg at the start of the 1960s," commented Bonhams' Stephanie Connell prior to the sale.
The "leather look" was worn by all four Beatles during these years, until band manager Brian Epstein urged them to start wearing matching suits. Following the change, the jacket was given to Harrison's brother, Harry.
Also featuring were a pair of George Harrison's matching leather boots, which brought an impressive 308.8% increase on the £15,000 high estimate to sell for £61,250 ($98,712).
The stunning results seen in today's sale further confirm the enduring appeal of Beatles memorabilia, with a signed photo of George Harrison showing a 20.8% pa increase in value from 2000-2012, according to the PFC40 Autograph Index.
Paul Fraser Collectibles specialises in sourcing the finest Beatles memorabilia, including a signed cover of A Hard Day's Night - one of only 8-10 known to exist.
