Discarded photographs from the shoot which resulted in the famous cover for The Beatles‘ 1969 classic ‘Abbey Road‘ album have sold for a quite incredible £180,000 at auction in London.
“This set of photographs has triggered a brilliant reaction from the market,” said Sarah Wheeler of Bloomsbury Auctions. “It has been a pleasure to share them with the public at our sale rooms, even for a short time, and a delight to see them attain such a worthy price today.”
It took just ten minutes for photographer Iain Macmillan and the Fab Four to complete their session in August 1969 when six snaps, including the image that made the final cut, were taken. An unnamed overseas buyer will soon be in possession of the photos.
“Encapsulating a significant cultural moment, it is an image that launched a notorious conspiracy theory, and that clearly still provides a touchstone for fans,” Edward Dimsdale, senior lecturer of Photographic Theory at the London University Of The Arts has remarked.
“The opportunity to see the image in close relation to the only other frames originally shot by the photographer is undoubtedly instructive. By judgment or serendipity (or more likely a bit of both), Macmillan was able to seize upon an instant that continues to have the power to resonate, 45 years on.”