John Lennon's sunglasses sell for £137,500

16 December 2019, 12:12

A pair of broken shades belonging to the Beatles legend have gone under the hammer for a ton of money.

A pair of John Lennon's sunglasses have sold at auction for £137,500.

The Beatles legend - who was killed in December 1980 - mistakenly left the Oliver Goldsmith-branded glasses in the back of Ringo Starr's car in the summer of 1968.

The shades have now been sold at Sotheby's in London for an incredible sum of money.

The glasses had been kept for 50 years by former chauffeur Alan Herring, who recalled: "I had picked John up with Ringo and George in Ringo's Mercedes, and driven the boys into the office.

"When John got out of the car I noticed that he'd left these sunglasses on the back seat and one lens and one arm had become disconnected.

"I asked John if he'd like me to get them fixed for him. He told me not to worry they were just for the look! He said he'd send out for some that fit.

"I never did get them mended - I just kept them as they were as John had left them."

Alan was originally employed by George Harrison as a landscape contractor at his home in Esher, Surrey. When George remained in India in the Spring of 1968 to study under the Maharishi, Herring went to work for Ringo instead, ending up as his personal assistant until the end of 1969.

He explained: "While employed for George and Ringo, I attended most of the Beatles' recording sessions at Abbey Road Studios for the White Album, Abbey Road and Let It Be - it was a very exciting time to be around."

The former driver told the BBC: "For my family's sake, it makes sense for me to say goodbye to my collection now while I can still tell all the stories behind everything."