2023-05-20
An Apple a Day…
Our good friend Ewgeni Reingold put an interesting post on the Birdie Hop Facebook group (membership needed).
Bonhams is selling a part of Peter Jenner’s collection and there are a few items that may interest the Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett fan. An Arnold Layne factory pressing, some press pictures from the 5 man Floyd, a Fan Club letter and Management Stationery from Blackhill Enterprises.
However the most interesting item is, without doubt, the handwritten lyrics for Apples And Oranges, dating from 1967.
Apples
Each verse and the chorus are written across 32 lines over two pages of lined paper in blue ballpoint pen, with handwritten musical chords. Size: 8in x 13in (20.5cm x 33cm).
Hereafter some extra titbits that have been taken from the Bonhams auction page.
These lyrics for 'Apples and Oranges' have been in the possession of Peter Jenner since they were written in 1967. Jenner was the first manager for Pink Floyd. He co-founded Blackhill Enterprises with his childhood friend Andrew King in 1966 after discovering the band, leaving his career as a lecturer at the London School of Economics. The pair first saw Pink Floyd at the Marquee Club and although having no prior experience in the music industry, they decided to found their production/management company. This enabled them to become the bands managers as well as set up the first South Bank concert 'Pink Floyd Games For May' in 1967. This lead to further ventures such as the now legendary 'Hyde Park Free Festival' in 1968 which 120,000 people attended and that was held for eight consecutive years.
Following signing up the fledgling Pink Floyd, Jenner and King invested in new musical equipment, clothing and promotion for each member. However it was Syd Barrett that the pair saw as the principle songwriter and creative force in the group. Jenner in particular took Syd under his wing identifying his vulnerability. Syd was the lead singer, song writer and face of a new genre of progressive psychedelic rock. However behind all this, Syd's mental state was beginning to deteriorate, and he was starting to become lost to drugs and the pressures from the industry at the time.
The complete handwritten lyrics in this lot are written in the hand of Syd Barrett. The lyrics are titled and include the chord breakdown for the melody and released version of the song. 'Apples and Oranges' was the last single released by the original Pink Floyd band line-up, (Syd, Roger Waters, Nick Mason and Rick Wright) before the bands first US tour. The song was recorded at Abbey Road Studios on the 26th and 27th October 1967. It was released on the 27th November but failed to make it into the charts, with B-side for the single 'Paint Box' written by Richard Wright.
According to Syd the song was based on a girl in a supermarket, "It's a happy song, and it's got a touch of Christmas. It's about a girl who I saw just walking round town, in Richmond." commented Barrett, when discussing the narrative.
This lot is sold without copyright, all rights remaining with Syd Barrett Music Ltd.
Estimation: £20,000 - £30,000
Oranges
A second item to be auctioned is a typed lyric sheet for Apples And Oranges, dating from 1967. It contains the complete lyrics and chorus for the song across 25 lines. Size: 8in x 10in (20cm x 25cm). This also comes from the collection of Peter Jenner and it’s estimated at £800 - £1,200.
Result: not sold.
Update 2023 05 26: End Results
The auction closed at 24 May 2023, 12:00 BST. Drkrazee, who followed the aution, posted the following on Reddit:
Sadly the reserve wasn't met on this and the lot got passed. Maybe next time!
Just like in the previous Peter Jenner auction, where he tried to sell Vegetable Man, it appears that the minimum bid was not reached.
Other (less expensive) items did find buyers though:
Syd Barrett /
Pink Floyd: Three Black And White Vintage Press Photographs Of Syd
Barrett, Sold for £640 inc. premium.
Pink Floyd: Three
Black And White Vintage Prints Of Pink Floyd, Sold for £640
inc. premium.
Pink Floyd: Fan Club letter and Management Stationery
from Blackhill Enterprises. Sold for £140 inc. premium.
Pink
Floyd: Two Black And White Vintage Press Photos Of Syd Barrett. Sold for
£640 inc. premium.
Pink Floyd: A Handbill for 'Games for
May - The Pink Floyd'. Sold for £2,048 inc. premium.
Surprise Visit
Rino Di Lernia visited Bonhams and took some pictures of the lyrics
sheet. They can be seen at The
Pink Floyd Clan (Facebook).
Second auction
On the 4th of July 2023 this item was auctioned a second time, by Omega Auctions : Omega Showcase Sale - Guitars, Music Memorabilia and Rare Vinyl Records
PINK FLOYD - HANDWRITTEN LYRICS BY SYD BARRETT FOR APPLES AND ORANGES.
Two lined sheets of paper (each approx 20 x 33cm) with handwritten lyrics by Syd Barrett c 1967 for Pink Floyd - Apples and Oranges. With verses, chorus and chord structures. 32 lines. Very good condition. Also to include a one page typed set of lyrics for 'Apples and Oranges', which according to accompanying provenance documents, was likely used within the 'Blackhill' offices for publishing purposes. Provenance: both the handwritten and typed lyrics are from the collection of Peter Jenner, legendary manager of Pink Floyd and other noted acts of the 1960s-1990s. Both are accompanied with signed letters of authenticity from the daughter of Peter and archivist of the Jenner collection since the 1990s.
It was sold for £15,000.
Other Meaningful Articles
While you’re at it, why don’t you read the article about the auction of Vegetable Man in 2022 or the Rich Hall / Felix Atagong / Birdie Hop interview with Peter Jenner, dating from 2014?
Vegetable
Man For Sale
An
innerview with Peter Jenner
Omega Auctions 2023 (Apples and Oranges / Jugband Blues): Barrett on Paper
Many thanks to: Birdie Hop, Drkrazee, Ewgeni Reingold, Petra Eder, Rino
Di Lernia.
♥ Iggy ♥ Libby ♥
Literature (as quoted from the Bonhams auction page):
Povey, Glenn
The Complete Pink Floyd, The Ultimate Reference, Stirling, New Yok, 2016
Pink
Floyd: Their Mortal Remains, V&A Publishing, London, 2017
Pictures taken from Bonhams and Rino Di Lernia, some enhanced by Felix Atagong.
