Ringo Starr's Personal 'White Album' Sells for World Record $790,000

[Miles Archer]

Ringo Starr's Personal 'White Album' Sells for World Record $790,000



http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ringo-starrs-personal-white-album-sells-for-world-record-910-000-20151205

Ringo Starr's personal copy of the Beatles' The White Album, numbered No.0000001, sold for a world record $790,000 Saturday at the Julien's Live auction of instruments and items from Starr and wife Barbara Bach's estate. Starr's White Album carried a pre-auction estimate of $40,000 to $60,000, a number that was easily shattered during bidding.

"We used to play the vinyl in those days," Starr previously told Rolling Stone of his copy of the band's classic 1968 LP. "We didn't think, 'We'll keep it for 50 years and it will be in pristine condition.' Whoever gets it, it will have my fingerprints on it." The copies of The White Album were numbered in sequence, ensuring that whoever purchased Starr's copy would have the first printing produced of the album.

Starr's 1963 Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl three-piece drum kit, used in the recording of "Can't Buy Me Love," "I Want to Hold Your Hand," "She Loves You" and other classics from that era, sold for $2.2 million Friday. The kit was used by Starr in more than 200 performances between May of 1963 and February of 1964 and later employed by Paul McCartney during the recording of his 1970 solo album McCartney.

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay purchased the drum kit, which hadn't been seen in public for over 50 years. The Colts owner and rock memorabilia enthusiasts previously purchased high-profile instruments like Bob Dylan's 1965 Newport Folk Festival guitar, John Lennon's 1966 "Paperback Writer" Gretsch guitar and Les Paul's "Black Beauty."

[busterbrown]

1. Lucky Guy...

Changes everything for him..Perhaps buy a nice estate somewhere..

[Docreed2003]

2. As a huge music geek...every time I see one of these

Auctions I wonder, will these artifacts be placed on public display somewhere like the Rock and Roll Hall of fame or will the just be added to some rich guys private collection. If Irsay bought one of the most iconic musical instruments of the 60's in Rongo's drum set, I'll wager it sits in his private collection.

[Miles Archer]

3. My guess is...

...that since, with the acquisition of Ringo's drums, Irsay now owns instruments from all four Beatles, he will probably build a little shrine in his rec room or something. I haven't read anything about his intention to share it with the public.

[Docreed2003]

4. Nope...

From what I've heard he collects the relics he has collected as a means of showing off. There's no reason for such historically significant artifacts as Ringo's drum set, with the iconic Beatles logo, or Bob Dylan's guitar he used when he "went electric" at Newport to be gathering dust in one mans office. They should be shown to the masses, but I guess I'm foolish for thinking that.

[WiffenPoof]

5. The White Album...

...is in my opinion the best offering by the band.