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John Lennon’s nickel silver Thunderbird belt buckle, traded by him to Record World executive Spence Berland in 1974, measuring 3.5 x 2.25 and set with nine oval turquoise-colored cabochons. Offered together with an ink signature and inscription, “To Spence, Belt up! Love, John Lennon 74,” on an off-white 11 x 7.5 sheet. The reverse of the buckle is stamped with the maker’s mark of B-K Silversmiths and “Nickel Silver,” and was later engraved with the text of Lennon’s inscription and signature at the direction of Berland’s wife. May Pang recalls that Lennon personally selected and purchased the buckle while they were together. The buckle is in fine condition. The inscribed sheet has tears and toning and has been professionally backed and restored to near fine condition.
Lennon was photographed wearing a matching Thunderbird buckle throughout 1974, including during the Walls and Bridges recording sessions in photographs by Bob Gruen, on stage with Harry Nilsson in Central Park, with Mick Jagger, and alongside the cast of Happy Days. The lot is accompanied by 10 modern prints of these and related moments. The Central Park appearance took place on April 28, 1974, when Lennon and Nilsson joined the March of Dimes walkathon festivities before an estimated crowd of 100,000. Also included are two original photographs of Lennon with Berland: one shows Berland wearing the Nipper buckle, and the other shows him wearing the Thunderbird buckle.
Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Beatles expert Frank Caiazzo and a signed letter of provenance from Berland, in which he recounts his friendship with Lennon. As general manager of Record World’s West Coast office, Berland received a call from May Pang saying she and Lennon were coming to the West Coast and asking if he’d like to meet the former Beatle. He arranged an interview, conducted by Record World reporter Beverly Magid at record producer Lou Adler’s house in Beverly Hills, and notes that Record World was “the first music trade magazine to interview John Lennon.”
Afterward, Lennon asked if Berland could find him a Bill Justis album on Sun Records. Berland went one better, persuading the label’s new owners to send the entire Sun catalog as a gift, which prompted a postcard from Lennon reading ‘Thanks for the Sun!’ The two became friends, and Lennon came to covet Berland’s rare RCA Nipper promo belt buckle. Then, in September or October 1974, Lennon arrived waving a box and declared, ‘Now you’ve got a fookin’ buckle from a Beatle, give me the Nipper buckle!’ The two traded on the spot.
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