PRIVATE COLLECTION BY JOHN WILL BE PUT UP FOR SALE AT THE AUCTION IN NEW YORK

The largest private collection of John Lennon's artwork could fetch more than $800,000 (£500,000) at auction later this year.

The works, featuring poems, doodles and drawings, were created by the Beatles legend and published in his two books, In His Own Write and A Spaniard In The Works.

They will be put up for sale as 89 lots at the auction, which is taking place in New York on June 4.

The largest private collection of John's artwork is set to fetch more than $800,000 (£500,000) at an auction in New York. Above, one of John's drawings, featuring a figure playing the guitar

The works, featuring poems, doodles and drawings, were created by the Beatles legend and published in his two books, In His Own Write and A Spaniard In The Works. Above, another sketch

The collection, titled, 'You Might Well Arsk', is owned by Tom Maschler, who published both of Lennon's books in 1964 and 1965 respectively.

Mr Maschler, who also founded The Booker Prize, described the Liverpool-born singer's artworks as 'extraordinary'.

'Many are scrawled on the back of hotel notepaper, he said. 'I thought they were extraordinary and asked "who wrote these?"

He could Imagine: They will be put up for sale as 89 lots at the auction on June 4. Above, Lennon

'I was told "John Lennon" and soon after I met with John and suggested that he should produce John In His Own Write.

'I then had to inspire in him the confidence to write and produce the drawings.

'John was surprisingly willing to listen to my editorial suggestions. He loved praise, as do we all, but he did not like criticism.'

He said the collection, featuring non-sensical poems, witty drawings and cleverly-written manuscripts, reveals a lesser-known side of the famous Beatle, who died in 1980.

'I knew that John had the most extraordinary talent and imagination, but I feared that being a Beatle might mean he wouldn't be taken seriously as a writer and artist,' he said.

'But I was wrong. His writing was even compared to Hilaire Belloc and Edward Lear.

'His art, however, has always been underrated - I very much hope that this auction will redress the balance.'

Lennon, a keen writer since his days as a schoolboy in Liverpool, studied art at the Liverpool School of Art before gaining worldwide fame as a member of The Beatles. 

Speaking at the time about his artworks, the singer said: 'They are spontaneous. I hardly ever alter anything because I'm selfish about what I write or big-headed about it.'

He added: 'Once I've written it, I like it. And the publisher sometimes says, you know, "Should we leave this out, or change that?" and I fight like mad becase once I've done it I like to keep it.

Quirky: Tom Maschler, who published the Liverpool singer's books in 1964 and 1965 respectively, described the artworks as 'extraordinary'. Above, a poem about a budgie (left) and a drawing (right), both created by Lennon

'I might add things when I go over it before it's published, but I seldom take anything out. So it is spontaneous.'

And his creativity has certainly been received positively by others - with Mr Maschler describing Lennon as having 'the most original sense of humour'.

'John was an exceptional friend and a most unusual human being,' he said.

'Revisiting the creative process that led to these remarkable books has made me realise just how much I miss him.'