Harrison's guitar sells for $485k

A guitar used by George Harrison during Beatles live shows in 1963 has sold at auction for $485,000 (£310,000).

The Maton Mastersound guitar, below, sold at Julien’s Auctions at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York, Rolling Stone reports. The instrument was lent to the late guitarist by Barratt’s Music Store while his famous Gretsch Country Gentleman guitar was being repaired.

Harrison played the Maton at nearly a dozen concerts during July and August 1963. It was eventually returned to Barratt’s and later sold to Dave Berry and the Cruisers guitarist Roy Barber.

Other items sold at the auction included leather shorts belonging to Trent Reznor, a glove worn by Michael Jackson, a stage-worn tank top donned by Madonna and Elvis Presley’s marriage certificate and tour bus.

Meanwhile, a graphic novel about Beatles manager Brian Epstein is to be turned into a movie and produced by Simon Cowell’s firm Syco. The screenplay is written by Vivek J Tiwary, who wrote the book The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story.

Tiwary says: “The mission of The Fifth Beatle has always been to sing the unsung story of Brian Epstein – the brilliant and inspiring visionary behind the Beatles. So I am thrilled to expand his legacy into film.”

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