In December of 1963, the Beatles played a concert for fan club members at Wimbledon. At this event, they conducted an autograph signing session before the show. This event alone provided most of the authentic examples that we see today. Fans lined up in a orderly fashion as the Beatles sat behind a table and signed whatever was placed in front them.
On February 7th 1964,The Beatles landed for the first time in the United States. During the trip from London the Beatles signed for fans on their Pan Am flight. On February 9th, 1964, the Beatles debuted on American television. Their famous appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show served as a promotional vehicle for Meet the Beatles. This was their first US album for Capital Records.
From late 1964 through 1966 the Beatles continued touring as they started their movie career. During the filming of their first movie, A Hard Days Night, some fans were able to attend filming at Twickenham Studios. I have purchased a number of examples from this period and I would always ask the folks that received the autograph to write me a letter about their experience. Typically, they would share personal observations like John was a great guy, Paul was a gentleman, Ringo was funny or George was softer and quiet, but very polite. As a part of history, these letters were a great addition to my collection.
