Money can't buy you love – but £1,000 will get you The Beatles' autographs

MONEY can't buy you love – but a bid of £1,000 put the signatures of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr into the hands of a fan at a Cotswolds antiques auction last week, while a hoard of jewellery and a treasure chest in which to keep it made the day's top prices.

A photograph of the Fab Four on the Ed Sullivan Show, printed over two pages from The Beatles Book and signed by each member of the band, went under the hammer at Moore Allen & Innocent in Cirencester on Friday, April 6.

The autographs were collected by the vendor's aunt in the mid-1960s, and given to the vendor for her 21st birthday in the mid-80s.

The lot was one of five to break the £1,000 mark at the sale, but it wasn't the top price of the day. That accolade went to a box of jewellery which included jet chokers, necklaces, mourning jewellery, and various Victorian pieces.

The winning bidder was said to be particularly taken by a pair of 5.7cm long torpedo earrings, carved from orange coral with stylised floral motifs.

Auctioneers had valued the collection at £100 to £150, so were delighted when the hammer fell at £1,700 – ten times the estimate.

A separate collection of jewellery also exceeded its estimate, to make the second-highest lot price of the day. The gold coloured jewellery included a belt bracelet, a chain link bracelet, star hoop bracelet, paste set buckle, paste set brooch, and pendant.

The auctioneers had expected bids of between £50 and £80, so were surprised when the lot achieved £1,100.

The third-highest lot price of the day also came from the jewellery section. A mid-20th century gents' Omega wristwatch with Arabic numerals and subsidiary seconds dial sold for a shade over ten times the lower estimate, with the hammer falling at £1,050, despite damage to the watch face, scratches to the case, and the lack of an original strap.

Saleroom manager Lucie Rowe attributed the success of the lots in the jewellery section to the number of jewellery traders in the room, attracted by a greater than usual amount of jewellery – especially Victorian pieces – being offered for sale.

"Good quality Victorian jewellery is enjoying something of a renaissance," she said. "Bidders seem to be willing to pay more for ornate jewellery, even pieces without a high content of precious metals or stones."

And tying with the Beatles autographs with a winning bid of £1,000 – exceeding, but not wildly, the estimate of £500 to £800 – was a modern mahogany triple pillar extending dining table in the Georgian style by the renowned reproduction furniture maker William Tillman.

Elsewhere in the sale a 17th century Armada chest with lattice work studded decoration sold for £900 against an estimate of £150 to £250, despite rust, denting, and a stiff – although ornate – interior locking mechanism.

And a pair of Victorian stained pine twenty drawer apothecary chests with glass handles and painted lettering to each drawer sold for £550 – comfortably within the £400 to £600 estimate.

The next sale takes place on Friday, April 27.

For a full auction catalogue, visit mooreallen.co.uk