ORIGINAL COMPOSITE INK SKETCH SELF-PORTRAIT DRAWING CIRCA 1960-61
BY STUART SUTCLIFFE
on the reverse of an off-white 8" x 4" sheet of imprinted Bruno Koschmider Betriebe Kaiserkeller stationery.

STUART SUTCLIFFE, The bEATLES' original bassist still holds a spot as the “fifth Beatle” and, in his own right, has secured acclaim as an artist and poet before his untimely passing - he was only 21 when he died in 1962 from bleeding in the brain.

THIS Amazing and MOST heartfelt original drawing by Sutcliffe IS on the reverse of an off-white 8" x 4" sheet of imprinted Bruno Koschmider Betriebe Kaiserkeller stationery. The composite ink sketch shows a self-portrait of Sutcliffe and a portrait of his girlfriend Astrid Kirchherr inside a heart, with a silhouette of the couple walking hand in hand apparently on a beach, with Sutcliffe writing at the top, “I love you Astrid, with all my heart and soul. Stuart.” On the reverse of the sketch, Sutcliffe has written, “Melancholy me.”

This exact drawing is illustrated on page 136 of the book "Hamburg Days" by Astrid Kirchherr and Klaus Voormann.

Kaiserkeller WAS THE music club in the St. Pauli quarter of Hamburg, Germany, near the Reeperbahn. It was opened by Bruno Koschmider on October 14, 1959. The Beatles had a contract with Kaiserkeller to play there in 1960. LONGTIME BEATLES FRIEND Klaus Voormann once watched The Beatles in the club and invited photographer Astrid Kirchherr and friend Jürgen Vollmer to watch the performances the next day. SUTCLIFFE, The Beatles bass player IN THIS PERIOD, met Kirchherr between sets, and began dating HER shortly thereafter. Voormann was in a relationship with Kirchherr at the time, although after other visits to the Kaiserkeller their relationship became purely platonic, although she always remained close friends with Voormann.

THIS PRESENTATION IS Archivally double glass matted and framed (both sides visible) with a signed photo of Kirchherr, as well as a portrait of Sutcliffe, taken and printed by Kirchherr from her original circa 1960-61 negative, and signed on the reverse in pencil by Kirchher. THE OVERALL DIMENSIONS OF THE FRAME IS 22½" x 16". THE SHEET REMAINS IN VERY FINE condition, with a vertical fold to left of THE drawings, a TOUCH of trivial toning, and some light show-through from printing and writing on reverse.

To describe this offered sketch as “unique” does not do it justice. This composition combines the youthful exuberance of being in love but the mature stylings of an artisan. For Kirchherr, this piece meant something special.... a representation of love lost. She kept it, treasured it no doubt, for nearly 40 years before selling it to a private party in 2002, WHICH IN TURN WAS THEN PLACED UP FOR AUCTION IN MARCH 2010. IT IS NOW PROUDLY OFFERED HERE WITH FAB 4 COLLECTIBLES.

ACCOMPANIED BY A LETTER OF AUTHENTICITY FROM RR AUCTIONS.