Glasses gifted by John Lennon fetch £40,000 at auction

A pair of iconic blue-tinted round glasses given by John Lennon to a man from Surrey as a birthday present more than 55 years ago have sold for £40,000.

Catherine Southon Auctions said Lennon gave the glasses to the seller - identified only as Michael - at Abbey Road Studios in 1968.

Michael said he was invited to the famous recording studios where the Beatles recorded as a birthday treat and Lennon gave the glasses away as a present.

The glasses were sold to an anonymous overseas buyer in an auction on Wednesday held at Farleigh Golf Club.

Ms Southon said: “In terms of ephemera what everyone wants is the Beatles and anything to do with John Lennon is a premium.

"He made iconic the look of the rounded, blue-tinted glasses and any that are connected with him are hugely sought after.”

The seller had been taken to Abbey Road by his then girlfriend, Penny, who was friends with lots of musicians,

According to the auction house conducting the sale, Michael said: "I picked up a pair of glasses from a piano.

"Penny said, 'Don't touch'.

"John Lennon turned around and said, 'He's alright. In fact, he can have them. Happy birthday!'"

He added: "They are not John Lennon's prescription glasses, but he gave them to me and wished me happy birthday, so that is good enough for me."

A collection of 33 black and white photographs - taken by the owner of the glasses in 1968 and 1969 when he visited Abbey Road - sold for £2,600.

Some of the photographs included Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and George Martin.

Other images were taken on the same day as the famous photoshoot for the Abbey Road album, when the Beatles famously posed walking across the zebra crossing.

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