Fleetwood Owen, the premier entertainment auction house founded by Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac and auction pioneer Ted Owen, recently announced its acquisition of the Stuart Sutcliffe Collection. Legendary founder of the Beatles as we know them today, Sutcliffe joined the Quarry Men who later became the Beatles in January 1960, and in 1961, left them to pursue his passion for art. Tragically, he died in 1961 of a brain hemorrhage at the age of 21. The collection is currently on display in New York, at the Westwood Gallery in Soho and on November 13th will open in London at the Internationally acclaimed Proud Gallery Central. £100,000 of the proceeds from the sale, taking place through closed bidding October 16th to December 5th 2001, will be donated to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
"The Stuart Sutcliffe Collection is, undeniably, one of the most exciting collections we've had the good fortune to represent," explained Mick Fleetwood. "It offers an insight into the very beginnings of one of the biggest and most revered bands in the world and into the man who helped shape them. And Stuart was unmistakably a force to be reckoned with as an artist, even at such a young age, a fact demonstrated by the interest in his paintings from key art collectors and lovers. We look forward to being a part of getting an important collection like this out into the world, where it belongs."
Sutcliffe met John Lennon when they were both students at the Liverpool College of Art. They took to each other immediately and became very close friends. Lennon was already in a band, The Quarry Men, with Paul McCartney and George Harrison, but they lacked a bass player. Lennon, knowing Sutcliffe had just sold one of his paintings and could afford a new instrument, convinced his friend to become the newest member of the band. Since then, Sutcliffe has been referred to as the "fifth Beatle," and is credited with being one of the founders and key influences on the group. "He was like our Art Director," said George Harrison about Sutcliffe. "In a mysterious way [he] was really responsible for that certain look we had."
Torn between his passion for painting and his allegiance to Lennon, in 1961 he chose to leave the Beatles to pursue his interest in art. Stuart was well on his way to a significant career as an artist when he unexpectedly died of a brain hemorrhage at age 21. Over the years his original and distinctive work has been touted by art buyers, but for the first time it has been officially appraised in preparation of this sale.
The early days of the Beatles is rich with behind-the-scenes stories, but almost no one was closer to the inside scoop than Sutcliffe's sister, Pauline Sutcliffe. After compiling and protecting the archival collection for the past 40 years, Ms. Sutcliffe is making her brother's achievements available to the world. Her biography on Stuart's life, entitled "Stuart Sutcliffe: The Beatles' Shadow," will be published on November 9th 2001 by Sidgwick & Jackson. In her book, Pauline paints a revealing portrait of the Beatles' formative period, giving a new perception of John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison. She tells the truth about Stuart's relationship with Lennon, who was haunted by guilt over her brother's death and she writes movingly about how, 40 years after his passing, Stuart's talent is being recognised.
The Stuart Sutcliffe Collection comprises artwork, sketches and drawings and the artist's complete private correspondence between the Beatles, his family and loved ones. The lot also includes photographs taken of him and other Beatles by his then-girlfriend, noted photographer Astrid Kirchherr, as well as other personal artifacts such as his first guitar, his personal letters to Kirchherr and drawings of how he envisioned the Beatles should look.
As Beatles biographer Hunter Davies wrote: "It's strange to think that by 1962, the one who was looked upon as the cleverest Beatle had died." And, indeed, John Lennon once said: "I looked up to Stu. I depended on him to tell me the truth. Stu would tell me something was good, and I'd believe him."
"The Stuart Sutcliffe Collection is, undeniably, one of the most exciting collections we've had the good fortune to represent," explained Mick Fleetwood. "It offers an insight into the very beginnings of one of the biggest and most revered bands in the world and into the man who helped shape them. And Stuart was unmistakably a force to be reckoned with as an artist, even at such a young age, a fact demonstrated by the interest in his paintings from key art collectors and lovers. We look forward to being a part of getting an important collection like this out into the world, where it belongs."
Sutcliffe met John Lennon when they were both students at the Liverpool College of Art. They took to each other immediately and became very close friends. Lennon was already in a band, The Quarry Men, with Paul McCartney and George Harrison, but they lacked a bass player. Lennon, knowing Sutcliffe had just sold one of his paintings and could afford a new instrument, convinced his friend to become the newest member of the band. Since then, Sutcliffe has been referred to as the "fifth Beatle," and is credited with being one of the founders and key influences on the group. "He was like our Art Director," said George Harrison about Sutcliffe. "In a mysterious way [he] was really responsible for that certain look we had."
Torn between his passion for painting and his allegiance to Lennon, in 1961 he chose to leave the Beatles to pursue his interest in art. Stuart was well on his way to a significant career as an artist when he unexpectedly died of a brain hemorrhage at age 21. Over the years his original and distinctive work has been touted by art buyers, but for the first time it has been officially appraised in preparation of this sale.
The early days of the Beatles is rich with behind-the-scenes stories, but almost no one was closer to the inside scoop than Sutcliffe's sister, Pauline Sutcliffe. After compiling and protecting the archival collection for the past 40 years, Ms. Sutcliffe is making her brother's achievements available to the world. Her biography on Stuart's life, entitled "Stuart Sutcliffe: The Beatles' Shadow," will be published on November 9th 2001 by Sidgwick & Jackson. In her book, Pauline paints a revealing portrait of the Beatles' formative period, giving a new perception of John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison. She tells the truth about Stuart's relationship with Lennon, who was haunted by guilt over her brother's death and she writes movingly about how, 40 years after his passing, Stuart's talent is being recognised.
The Stuart Sutcliffe Collection comprises artwork, sketches and drawings and the artist's complete private correspondence between the Beatles, his family and loved ones. The lot also includes photographs taken of him and other Beatles by his then-girlfriend, noted photographer Astrid Kirchherr, as well as other personal artifacts such as his first guitar, his personal letters to Kirchherr and drawings of how he envisioned the Beatles should look.
As Beatles biographer Hunter Davies wrote: "It's strange to think that by 1962, the one who was looked upon as the cleverest Beatle had died." And, indeed, John Lennon once said: "I looked up to Stu. I depended on him to tell me the truth. Stu would tell me something was good, and I'd believe him."