JOHN's ICONIC GLASSES SOLD FOR A STAGGERING £14,600

PRICEY pieces of musical history including John Lennon's iconic glasses have been sold for eye-watering prices at an auction house in Great Sankey.

Around 40 buyers filled the room of Omega Auctions on Warrington Road on Tuesday and Wednesday with more than 250 bidders from across the globe placing their bids either on the phone or online.

The Beatles legend's trademark round glasses were up for grabs to the highest bidder and were expected to fetch up to £10,000. 

But following a tight bidding war the glasses were sold to a mystery buyer for a staggering £14,600.

Lennon loaned these spectacles to his housekeeper Dot Jarlett in 1965 to lend to her brother when he needed a pair to complete his schoolboy fancy dress outfit.

The glasses come with a signed letter of authenticity and signed legal affidavit from Dot Jarlett's son.

A collection of Beatles photographs with copyright from their 1963 performance at the ABC cinema in Ardwick, Manchester, sold for £5,200 while original leases and plans for the Hacienda Nightclub in Manchester sold for £1,800.

Auctioneer, Paul Fairweather said: “The sale was a great success with our star lot far outstripping our pre-sale estimate. 

"The pair of Windsor glasses originally loaned by John Lennon to his housekeeper Dot Jarlett in 1965 sold for £14,600 against a pre sale estimate of £5,000 to £10,000 which yet again confirms a strong market for rare Beatles memorabilia where the provenance is so strong."

More than 85 per cent of the lots were sold during the auction. 

Other items on sale included negatives of Cilla Black and Brian Epstein and a Stone Roses demo cassette.

A draft of Lennon's divorce statement that had only been seen in public for the first time this year was also on the market. 

While the papers documenting Lennon's marriage troubles to his wife Cynthia did not reach the reserve price, it is expected to be sold in the coming days.