Paintings, letters … and a John Lennon novel? Archive of ‘fifth Beatle’ Stuart Sutcliffe up for sale

Artworks and Beatles ephemera including an incomplete novel about Lennon among work by visual artist and bass player who died aged 21

The archive of Stuart Sutcliffe, the original bassist with the Beatles, is up for sale, featuring more than 400 paintings and drawings – plus astonishing Beatles ephemera including an unfinished novel about John Lennon.

Sutcliffe was a galvanising force in the Beatles, who met John Lennon when the pair were art students in Liverpool – after joining Paul McCartney and George Harrison in skiffle group the Quarrymen, it was Sutcliffe and Lennon who spliced a reference to Beat poets with a nod to Buddy Holly’s band the Crickets, thus creating the Beatles’ band name.

This comprehensive archive comprises over 400 poetic artworks, several amid prior exhibits in prestigious galleries and museums. Complimenting the art includes 200 documents: letters, poems, essays, and an incomplete novel about John Lennon. It weaves a captivating visual narrative, featuring 37 original photographs chronicling the band’s formative days in England and Germany. Within these treasures lie poignant letters exchanged between Sutcliffe, Lennon, and their inner circle, unveiling the depth of their relationships and the fervent creativity igniting their iconic artistic journey.