- 76
John Lennon
Estimate
10,000 - 20,000 USD
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Description
- “The Subtle Woffell”
- ink and paper
9 x 11 3/4 in.; 228 x 298 mm, ink drawing in black with four lines of verse lower left (commencing “beneath the deep Ambrosia tree”) and inscription lower right “happy birthday Colin | with love from John” together with date and place “some time in March - Rishikesh | 1968” ; slight creases in corners with tiny tear in lower left corner.
Provenance
Christie’s, 30 April 2003, lot 193
Condition
slight creases in corners with tiny tear in lower left corner.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
The recipient is believed to be Colin Boyd, brother of Pattie Boyd (George Harrison’s wife). Reproduced within Hunter Davies’ The John Lennon Letters (London, 2012), Davies notes that ‘while in India, John did what he normally did when a relation or friend had a birthday – created for them a hand-made birthday card’. The verse is described by Davies as ‘apparently unpublished’ (until publication in The John Lennon Letters).
The drawing is similar to Lennon’s illustration to ‘I Sat Belonely’ from In His Own Write. It appears that the figure seated below a tree was a favourite subject for Lennon: he also drew one for ‘Leslie’ (see Christie’s, 27 April 1989, lot 617) and two figures (John and Yoko Ono) sat below a tree for the 1971 album cover of John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band.