Pattie Boyd’s love letters from Eric Clapton and George Harrison to be auctioned
The letters will be on public view at Christie’s headquarters in London in March.
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Your support makes all the difference.Former fashion model Pattie Boyd is to auction letters from the time she was involved in a love triangle with former husbands Eric Clapton and George Harrison.
Boyd, 79, a renowned model of the 1960s, met Beatles member Harrison on the set of the 1964 film A Hard Day’s Night and was married to him for more than a decade before she wed Clapton in 1979.
The Pattie Boyd Collection includes a handwritten letter from 1970, labelled urgent and sent by Clapton to Boyd’s house in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. It is expected to fetch between £10,000 and £15,000.
In the letter Clapton asks her to clarify any romantic feelings and writes: “What I wish to ask you, is if you still love your husband, or if you have another lover?… if there is still a feeling in your heart for me… you must let me know!”
Clapton famously wrote the 1970 track Layla about Boyd, and his 1977 hit Wonderful Tonight.
Elsewhere, a letter from Harrison from 1971 is estimated to sell for a similar amount, and one of his handwritten love notes from the 1960s is expected to fetch between £2,000 to £3,000.
It reads: “Pattie, dont forget I love you – George.”
Various Beatles songs written by Harrison are also said to have been inspired by Boyd, including I Need You (1965) and Something (1969).
Boyd said of the sale: “I’m happy to let go of these things which I have treasured and loved for so many years.
“These items represent special moments in my life but now I think it’s time to move on and share what I have with others.”
As both a model and photographer, Boyd’s collection also has a wide range of original photographs, some taken during the Beatles’ stay at Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram in Rishikesh, India, in 1968.
There is also a Polaroid photograph by Boyd of Clapton with his favourite Fender Stratocaster guitar, nicknamed Blackie, which could fetch between £800 to £1,200.
Another photo of Boyd and Harrison, standing in front of roses at their Surrey home Kinfauns, could fetch between £4,000 and £6,000.
A set of handwritten lyrics for unreleased Clapton song Sweet Eloraine will be sold, and an original design doodle for an Apple Records LP label drawn by Harrison.
The sale is led by the original artwork chosen by Clapton for the cover of Derek And The Dominos’ 1970 album Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs, estimated to fetch between £40,000 and £60,000.
A small amount of jewellery and watches owned by Boyd will also be sold.
The full sale from The Pattie Boyd Collection will be on public view at Christie’s headquarters in London from March 15 to 21.
Adrian Hume-Sayer, director, private and iconic collections and head of sale, Christie’s London, said: “Pattie Boyd’s extraordinary life and career chart some of the key moments of the cultural revolution that changed the world in the 1960s.
“This unique collection includes an array of cherished personal letters, photographs and mementoes, which provide a tangible link to that amazing time.
“Pattie’s passion for photography also provides a glimpse from behind the lens, adding further colour to the intimate portrait of her life in the spotlight alongside two of history’s most iconic musicians.
“This auction offers collectors, fans and enthusiasts an unparalleled chance to see and own a piece of cultural history – everyone is welcome.”