Autograph collection including Albert Einstein and John Lennon set for £50k sale at Bristol auction

The collection of around 7,000 signatures was amassed over a lifetime, by Dutch-born collector Jan van Bree. Jan began collecting autographs back in 1957 when he wrote to the famous Italian singer Beniamino Gigli, and received a handwritten reply.

He then started writing off to various famous people and spent more than 60 years amassing his unique collection before his death in 2024.

Auctioneer Andrew Stowe, who has set a guide price between £45-£65k, said: "It is without doubt the best autograph collection I have ever seen.

"The first album I flicked through contained signatures from John Lennon, Albert Einstein and Eva Peron! I was awestruck."

One of the highlights within the vast collection is a unique sketch of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, obtained during their famous ‘Bed-In’ protest at the Hilton Hotel, Amsterdam.

The sketch in purple ink was drawn by Lennon, then signed by him to the top and Yoko Ono below. So famous was their 1969 two-week ‘bed-in’ that it drew crowds of fans and press attention from all over the world.

Fans would send in bits of paper with their visitors to be signed, or autographs would be given out by the visiting press. “It’s completely unique,” adds Andrew. “Our guide price is between three and five thousand pounds.”

One of the other highlights is a letter from Albert Einstein - the world-famous Theoretical physicist - written in 1940 from The Institute For Advanced Study in New Jersey.

Although brief, the typed letter was written during an interesting time in Einstein’s life. Einstein had fled to America, and was just months away from gaining official US citizenship.

Just a few months prior to this letter, he had written to President Roosevelt and warned of the capabilities of the German forces creating an atomic bomb, and urged Roosevelt to begin developing the same.

"To be able to hold something that was written by one of the greatest scientific minds in the world, is quite remarkable," says Andrew.

The collection of autographs, manuscripts and historical documents is being offered for sale at Auctioneum Ltd, in Bristol and the saleroom are expecting world-wide interest.

The collection is being sold by Jan's family, who revealed his initial request back in 1957 had been a "lightbulb moment." Andrew added: "He realised that he could write to famous people and they would send their autograph in reply.

"He was soon writing hundreds of letters around the world – from actors to astronauts. But he also met them; going to every theatrical and musical event in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Enschede. It’s the sheer variety of Jan’s collection that makes it so special.

"We’ve got autographs from all areas of history, entertainment and political figures. We’ve got sixteenth century royalty alongside Black Sabbath, John Steinbeck alongside Laurel & Hardy. It’s a comprehensive ‘who’s who’ of famous signatures."

The Jan van Bree collection goes under the hammer at Auctioneum Ltd in Bristol on October 28th. The online-only auction catalogue can be viewed on their website www.auctioneum.co.uk