Anthea Connell met Hendrix at The Starlight Room in 1967 - she was dating a member of Sons & Lovers, the support act on the night - and received the note, which reads:
‘To Anthea. Love and kisses to you forever. I wish I could really talk to you. Stay sweet. Jimi Hendrix.’
Estimated at £2000-3000 in Hansons’ October auction in Etwall, Derbyshire, Connell was delighted with the £5700 hammer (plus 17.5% buyer’s premium): “It exceeded any expectations I might have had. I’d like to thank Jimi for the memories of meeting him and now I’d like to thank him for his very lucrative signature. The money will go towards tickets for a trip to New Zealand. I hope Jimi would approve. It’s certainly a bit more rock ‘n’ roll than buying a new boiler or double glazing.”
Claire Howell, Hansons’ head of music memorabilia, added: “I am not surprised the Jimi Hendrix note fetched such a high price. It has amazing provenance thanks to Anthea sharing her story of meeting him. With Jimi dying so young, his autograph is rare.”
Other Jimi Hendrix Experience memorabilia also fetched good prices at the auction including autographs from fellow band members Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell.
The Hendrix legend continues
This 1967 Jimi Hendrix Electric Guild Starfire V guitar is on offer at Guernsey's Music Legends Guitar Auction in New York on December 2 (no estimate given at this time).
Courtesy of Guernsey's
Featured in Guernsey’s Legendary Guitars & Musical Treasures sale on December 2 at the Bohemian National Hall in New York is this sticker-covered Guild guitar played by Hendrix at the 1968 Miami Pop Festival.
A collection of unreleased studio tapes and recordings plus a huge vinyl collection add to the Hendrix memorabilia which sits alongside other guitars and ephemera from industry greats including Les Paul, Gerry Mulligan, Steve Miller, John Denver, Madonna and Bruce Springsteen.
Arlan Ettinger, president of Guernsey’s, said: “We’re delighted to offer these items up for auction this coming December 2. This collection of guitars and other musical treasures is one of the finest musical collections assembled, and we’re very excited to be working with such historic pieces.”
