Search The Line of Best Fit
Search The Line of Best Fit
Beatles ad 1965 just the beatles crop

The first contract The Beatles had with Brian Epstein is set to go up for auction

14 June 2019, 16:27 | Written by Cerys Kenneally

The Beatles' first contract they had with Brian Epstein is going up for auction, and expected to fetch six figures.

BBC reports that the contract is expected to sell for somewhere near £300,000.

The contract was signed by Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and original drummer Pete Best back on 24 January 1962.

Epstein's contract with The Beatles gave him permission to find work for the group, manage their schedules, and their publicity.

It was supposedly signed by the band in Best's Mother's living room.

Apparently Epstein never signed the contract, stating, "even though I knew I would keep the contract in every clause, I had not 100% faith in myself to help The Beatles adequately...I wanted to free The Beatles of their obligations if I felt they would be better off."

The contract discloses Epstein's fee, which was originally 10%, but states the fee would be raised to 15% if The Beatles earned more than £120 a week.

Brian Epstein's original contract will be auctioned next month by Epstein's publisher Ernest Hecht.
Share article
Email

Get the Best Fit take on the week in music direct to your inbox every Friday

Read next