Press release —
Rare Signed Beatles Single from 1970 – when John Lennon Visited Rural Denmark – is up for Auction
A rare and personally signed Beatles single connected to John Lennon’s little-known stay in rural Denmark in 1970 is now set to go under the hammer at the Danish auction house Bruun Rasmussen.
The record is an original copy of “The Ballad of John and Yoko” / “Old Brown Shoe”, released by Apple Records on May 30, 1969. What makes this particular copy extraordinary is John Lennon’s own signature, added during the musician’s private stay in northern Denmark in the winter of 1969–1970.
“On its own, the single is an iconic Beatles release, but the personal signature and the remarkable story behind it make this a truly unique collector’s item,” says Peter Broe, memorabilia specialist at Bruun Rasmussen.
A little-known Danish chapter in Lennon’s life
John Lennon and Yoko Ono stayed in northern Denmark from December 29, 1969, to January 25, 1970, renting a house near the small town of Fjerritslev in Jutland. The visit was personal and related to Yoko Ono’s wish to see her daughter, Kyoko Chan Cox, who at the time was living in the area with her father, Anthony Cox, and his Danish wife.
During the stay, Lennon made a visit to a local record store, Thisted Musikhus, in the nearby provincial town of Thisted. There, he personally signed the single and handed it to a member of staff at the shop.
Remarkably, the record remained in the possession of the store and later passed down through the family of owner Hans Rudolf Christensen. More than fifty years later, his sons have now decided to offer the signed single for auction.
Strong provenance
The combination of a verified Lennon signature, direct provenance from the original recipient, and its connection to one of the most unusual and intimate periods of Lennon’s post-Beatles life makes the record especially appealing to international Beatles collectors.
The signed single is estimated at 20,000 DKK (approx. EUR 2,670) and will be offered as part of Bruun Rasmussen’s upcoming Online Auction on 8 June. Go to the auction HERE.
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Bruun Rasmussen has since 1948 sold art, design, jewellery, wristwatches, antiques and collectibles such as wine, books, coins and stamps. As the leading auction house in Denmark, we sell over 75,000 items every year at our Online Auctions at bruun-rasmussen.dk and at Live Auctions at our auction house in Lyngby.
Our specialists are the most experienced and competent in the industry. The work in the auction house places great demands on our knowledge of art and trends on the market. This way, we can provide valuations and advice of the highest quality – which has become our trademark – and thereby offer the best lots from all categories and achieve high hammer prices for the benefit of our customers.
At Bruun Rasmussen, we are one of Europe's most modern and digital auction houses, and it is only natural for us to adapt to changes in the market. Innovation is part of our DNA, while we are also deeply rooted in our history.
In 2022, after having been family-owned through three generations, we became part of the international “Bonhams Network”, expanding our global reach and access to specialists all over the world. We strategically present and sell art where it makes the most sense in relation to potential buyers.
