The score, in producer George Martin’s handwriting and signed by Sir Paul McCartney, was initially billed by Warrington-based Omega Auctions as ‘the original’ version of the music sheet and given an estimate of £15,000-25,000.
It revised this description earlier this month to 'an original’ after it was contacted by Martin’s family who also own a version which they say is original.
However another dispute has emerged which has led Omega to pull the sale of the score.
In a statement, Omega said: “The score was owned by the late Colin Sanders, an entrepreneurial engineer who founded Solid State Logic in the 1960s. Omega Auctions understood the score to have been inherited by Mr Sanders daughter when he tragically passed away in 1998, however having been contacted by his widow, Dr Rosie Sanders, she claims that she is the rightful owner of the score and has no wishes to part with it.
“Dr Sanders has reported a theft to Thames Valley Police and in order to protect the privacy of the family, we do not wish to comment further.”
These are the deeds of the Liverpool grave of the real Eleanor Rigby, the inspiration for the Beatles' song. Estimated at £2000-4000 the lot did not meet the reserve on the day, but Omega said it is currently negotiating a post-auction sale.
The auction also included the deeds to the Liverpool grave of the real Eleanor Rigby, the song’s inspiration. Estimated at £2000-4000 the lot did not meet the reserve on the day, but Omega said it is currently negotiating a post-auction sale.
The auction on September 11-12 went ahead with other Beatles memorabilia and made a hammer total of £95,912.
