This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/6/2008
John Lennon is seen wearing this very same World War I-era military band tunic in a photo spread by photographer Henry Grossman that appeared in "LIFE" magazine in late-1966; the photos and story on "their new look" coinciding with the first recording sessions for "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." It is easy to recognize that Lennon's choice of apparel for the photo shoot, undoubtedly, influenced The Beatles decision to don similarly styled attire for the cover of "Sgt. Pepper's..." In "The Bealtes Anthology" Paul remembers: "For our outfits we went to Berman's...and ordered the wildest things, based on old military tunics." John obviously picked up early on the vogue for military fashion adding "Kids were already wearing army jackets on the King's Road; all we did was make them famous...we were the ones who were chosen to represent what was going on on the street..." The white-colored tunic is trimmed on the collar and cuffs in blue with elaborately embroidered gold-colored roping. This extraordinary item comes with a LOA from the individual who personally collected the jacket as a donation from John and Yoko at their Dakota apartment to The Salvation Army in 1977; procuring it for himself with his manager's approval. Estimate: $300,000-$400,000.