Builder who found Paul McCartney’s piano designs in a skip set to win £2,000
The ‘psychedelic’ piano was designed by 1960s art collective BEV
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
A builder who found Paul McCartney’s “psychedelic” designs in a skip could win £2,000 at auction.
Andy Clynes from Oldham noticed the papers had been thrown out with other waste while leading a team at a mill near Manchester in 1999.
Clynes kept the papers in his loft for 20 years after taking them out of the skip and only recently decided to get them valued.
Designed in 1967 by art collective BEV, the sketches of the music icon’s piano will be put on sale at Omega Auctions on 24 March where they are set to fetch £2,000.
Other sketches pulled from the skip will be auctioned at a separate sale later this year, where they are expected to earn £10,000.
The 54-year-old told the Press Association: “I picked them out of the skip. The case burst open as it was thrown in. It was raining and I just picked up what I could. I imagine there was a lot more there but it was damaged.”
As well as McCartney’s recognisable designs, they include work for The Kinks, after the collective were commissioned to work on the covers of their album Sunny Afternoon.
Despite finding the sketches, Andy is still at a loss to explain why they were there in the first place.
“It could have been an art studio at some time or another,” he said.
“I’ve had them for 20-odd years. You put things away and forget about them and then something triggers your mind.
“I haven’t planned what I’ll do with the money yet but I was surprised about the value.”
He added: “I Googled ‘Paul McCartney’s piano’ and when I looked at the drawing it was very similar.”
Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music
Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members)
Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music
Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members)
Auctioneer Paul Fairweather said: “It’s fantastic that such an important archive was recovered and even better for our vendor that it should prove a lucrative decision to save them from the skip.”
“The designs of BEV encapsulate the optimism, excitement and free spirit of collaboration that ensures that the late 1960s endure in the popular consciousness even to this day.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments