Lot #7147

The Who

Description

Scarce ballpoint signatures of The Who during the brief window when they were known as the High Numbers, signed and inscribed on the front of a 4.75 x 4 album page, “To Janet, Pete Townshend,” “To Janet, Keith Moon,” and “Lots of love Janet, Roger Daltrey, xxx,” and on the reverse, “To Janet, Johnny Allison [John Entwistle].” A collector's notation dates the signatures to a concert at the Hippodrome in Brighton on August 9, 1964, about one month after the High Numbers released their only single, ‘Zoot Suit/I'm the Face,’ which, in essence, was also The Who’s first single. In fine condition, with blocks of toning. Encapsulated by Beckett Authentication Services. Early on in his musical career, and for only a brief time, John Entwistle adopted the stage name John Allison, a nominal tribute to his girlfriend and future wife, Alison Wise, whom he married in 1967.

The Who changed their name from The Detours in early 1964 after discovering another group, Johnny Devlin and the Detours, was already using the name. Pete Townshend and his roommate Richard Barnes spent a night brainstorming options before Barnes suggested ‘The Who,’ which Roger Daltrey chose the following morning. The name lasted only a few months before publicist and early manager Peter Meaden became involved with the group and encouraged them to embrace the emerging mod movement then sweeping Britain. Under Meaden's direction, the band adopted sharp mod fashions, changed their name to The High Numbers, and released the July 1964 single ‘Zoot Suit’ backed with ‘I'm the Face.’ After the single failed commercially and generated little radio attention, the group abandoned the High Numbers name and reverted to The Who later in 1964, soon afterward replacing Meaden with managers Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp.

Auction Info

• Auction Title: Marvels of Modern Music
• Dates:
  Starts:

  05/19/2026
  Ends:

  06/18/2026

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