Someone just paid a LOT of money for some of John Lennon’s hair
Though it’s been nearly 40 years since John Lennon was assassinated outside his home in New York City, he’s remained iconic for both his work with the Beatles as well as his own solo career. In fact, the late musician is still so famous that someone was willing to shell out a whole lot of $$$ just to get a clip of his hair.
According to CNN, a single lock of Lennon’s hair was sold to one Paul Fraser, a citizen of the U.K., for a stunning $35,000 this week. Seller Heritage Auctions says Mr. Fraser is a well-known buyer of entertainment-related memorabilia.
“This is the largest lock of John Lennon’s hair ever offered at auction,” Director of music memorabilia Garry Shrum told CNN. “And this world-record price is a lasting testament to the world’s more than 50-year love affair and fascination with Lennon and the Beatles.”
You may ask, how does one even come by a lock of a long-dead musician’s hair? Well, the lock’s history goes way, way back to 1966 when Lennon appeared in How I Won The War, a dark comedy about British soldiers bumbling through World War II. In preparation for the role, Lennon had to cut his hair. His hairdresser, Klaus Baruck, held onto at least one of the many locks of hair he cut and even made appearances on British television to share the story of his brush with fame (pun ABSOLUTELY intended).
What’s more, this is not even the first time a lock of Lennon’s hair has gone for big bucks. Back in 2007, a lock of his hair sold at auction for a whopping $48,000, though that’s nothing compared to the record-setting $115,000 paid for a lock of Elvis Presley’s hair in 2002. Meanwhile, an anonymous Rolling Stones fan purchased a lock of Mick Jagger’s hair for $6,100 in 2013, a number barely eclipsed by the 1994 purchase of a lock of 19th century composer Ludwig Van Beethoven’s hair for $7,300.
The moral of the story: If you’re famous, watch your back around hairdressers. You never know when someone will hold onto your hair for a rainy day!
