South Pacific TEAL in-flight magazine, 8.5 x 11, signed on the front cover in blue ballpoint by all four members, John Lennon (inscribing “To Hunt”), Paul McCartney (“To Hunt, from”), George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, as well as Derek Taylor (adding “pp Brian Epstein”). Accompanied by a letter of authenticity from noted Beatles expert Frank Caiazzo adding that “the signatures on this magazine date from mid-1964.”
The Beatles toured Australia for the first, and only, time in June of 1964. Beatlemania was at a fever pitch by this time, as evidenced by the 350,000 fans that greeted them in Adelaide, the largest recorded crowd that the Beatles would ever see in their touring history. The reaction in New Zealand surpassed that of Australia, with the young New Zealanders experiencing a cultural shift that had begun with the start of television broadcasting in 1960. The young New Zealand fans were Beatle crazy, with fans injured at the airport upon the Beatles’ arrival, one of their touring cars nearly pushed over, a girl slashing her wrists in the hotel room of one of the band’s entourage when he refused to introduce her, John and Ringo injured in a crush of fans in Auckland, and as they were departing a boy ran out onto the tarmac and had to be dragged away by police.
This item was obviously signed after the departure of replacement drummer, Jimmy Nichols. Ringo had rejoined his bandmates three days into the tour following his recovery from tonsilitis. These autographs were undoubtedly collected as the band was flying around New Zealand upon a TEAL (Tasman Empire Airlines) plane during this frenzied portion of their Far East tour, at the very height of Beatlemmania. In fine condition, with scattered light creasing. Pre-certified Roger Epperson/REAL and RRAuction COA.
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