Patti Boyd’s earnings revealed after selling letters by George Harrison and Eric Clapton
Pattie Boyd, longtime wife and muse of guitar legends Eric Clapton and George Harrison, has sold intimate letters and various paraphernalia from both of their careers for over $3million.
Boyd first became entangled with Harrison when they met on the set of The Beatles’ first film, A Hard Day’s Night. She served as the inspiration behind classic Beatles songs by Harrison such as ‘Something’ and ‘I Need You’ before their divorce in the 1970s, culminating in his break-up album, Dark Horse.
After they split, the pair remained friends despite Boyd moving on to his close associate Clapton, who wrote songs including ‘Wonderful Tonight’ and ‘Layla’ about his partner.
After the items successfully sold at auction, Boyd has said she is overwhelmed by the reaction to the documents, telling Variety, “I am completely blown away by the enthusiasm of international bidders for these special treasures that I have always loved”. The estimated total for the entire collection was £2,818,184.
Outside of leaving behind personal memories with the items, Boyd explained why she was happy to pass them along to someone else, noting, “I am so happy that new hearts will now enjoy them, as they enter into their next ‘chapters.’ I am lucky that my life today continues to bring me joy and different adventures.”
Memorabilia that went to auction included the early drafts of Harrison’s lyrics, including the ballad ‘Mystical One’ from Gone Troppo. She also sold candid photos of The Beatles during their time in India, where they studied under the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Harrison would continue to practice Eastern religious philosophies up until his death in 2002.
Clapton’s letters have also included various insights into the relationship between him and Boyd during the 1970s. Addressing many of the letters to Boyd, Clapton asked many questions in his letters to his would-be fiancé, including asking her if she still loved her husband while her marriage to Harrison was going through a testing time.
The Clapton-themed archives also included the very first artwork used for his album Layla (And Other Assorted Love Songs) by Derek and the Dominoes. The LP was made between Boyd divorcing Harrison and becoming romantically involved with Clapton, including songs that ‘Slowhand’ wrote about his unrequited love.
Following her 80th birthday, Boyd stated that she didn’t want to keep the letters in storage for any longer, and decided auctioning the items off would allow them to be cherished by others.