A piano on which Paul McCartney played the Beatles' song Yesterday during its embryonic stages is set for auction next month, and it's sure to be popular with music memorabilia investors.

The 1926 art deco Eavestaff pianette is expected to make £125,000 ($202,000) when it goes up for sale at the Drury Lane Theatre Grand Ballroom on April 14.

The tune, which is the world's most covered song, came to McCartney in a dream in 1964 but the former Beatle was convinced that he had stolen it.

Yesterday remains a firm favourite with Macca fans at live shows

McCartney was staying at then girlfriend Jane Asher's parents' house in Wimpole Street, London. Upon waking he immediately found the chords on the upright piano he had had installed in the attic room where he slept, but remained convinced the tune was not original.

McCartney visited singer Alma Cogan for a second opinion.

It was on her family's piano that McCartney played Cogan the tune. The original lyrics for the piece were: "Scrambled eggs, oh my baby how I love your legs."

"Alma was a bit of a song buff," explains McCartney. "She said, 'I don't know what it is, but it's beautiful.'" 

The piano is being sold by Cogan's sister Sandra.

In 2000, singer George Michael bought the Steinway Model Z piano on which John Lennon wrote the song Imagine for £1.45m.

At the same auction a Hammond C3 organ used by Lennon sold for £40,000.

Yesterday was released on the Beatles' Help Album in 1965.