Pattie Boyd was part of the Swinging 60s, but did not always receive a lot of attention.
The model and photographer, often overshadowed by her famous husbands George Harrison and Eric Clapton, is selling a large collection of letters, photos, and other items at Christie’s auction house.
The collection, on display at Christie’s London headquarters, gives insight into the 1960s and 70s counterculture. The 111 items for sale include loving letters from Harrison and Clapton, as well as clothing, jewelry, drawings, and photos — some of Boyd, and some by her.
Boyd, 79, is not expressing any sadness about parting with the collection.
She told The Associated Press, “I look back without emotion. I can feel slightly sentimental, but not emotional.
Boyd has lived with these photographs and objects for 40-50 years and wants others to enjoy them.
Boyd is renowned as a muse for musicians, inspiring The Beatles’ song “Something” and Clapton’s songs “Layla” and “Wonderful Tonight.”
The auction features love letters from Clapton, written while Boyd was married to Harrison, and the original cover artwork for Derek and The Dominos’ 1970 album “Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs,” which includes a painting resembling Boyd. The painting is expected to sell for £40,000 to £60,000.
Harrison’s handwritten lyrics for the song “Mystical One” are also available, with an estimated price of £30,000 to £50,000.
Boyd, who is an accomplished photographer, is selling large-scale portraits and informal Polaroids of Harrison, Clapton, and other musicians, including Mick Jagger, Pete Townshend, and Ronnie Wood.
Christie's head of sale Adrian Hume-Sayer described the auction as a snapshot of Boyd’s life.
Hume-Sayer noted the growing interest in 1960s music memorabilia, despite its becoming increasingly scarce.
He pointed out that it’s rare for the material to come directly from the person involved, rather than from the secondary market.
He explained, “It’s that visceral connection with a moment that means so much to so many people that makes it so interesting.”
As a whole, the collection feels intimate and revelatory.
Among the items are a minidress worn by Boyd in the 1960s and a grandfather clock, a wedding gift from Beatles manager Brian Epstein.
There are handwritten letters from Harrison, including one with a greeting for Boyd’s husband, and a handmade Christmas card from 1968.
Letters and postcards from Clapton are also included, providing insight into the rock star’s life, such as his travel to work on Sting’s album in Montserrat and the prevalence of upset stomachs in South America.
Harrison and Boyd ended their marriage in 1977, and he passed away in 2001. In a 2007 memoir, Boyd portrayed Harrison as her soulmate.
Her turbulent 10-year marriage to Clapton, which ended in 1989, was troubled — as the musician later admitted — by his alcoholism.
Boyd says she doesn't feel any bitterness.
“That was almost like another lifetime ago,” she said. “And he has his own life and I have my own life. But this is just a bit of history that we shared.”
Mostly, she remembers the “great fun” of the 1960s, a momentous era whose creative impact continues to be felt across the decades.
“Sometimes I can be walking down a street somewhere in London, and I see a girl wearing what I would have worn in the 60s,” she said. “I mean, how many years ago was that? And it just makes me smile.”
The Pattie Boyd collection is exhibited at Christie’s until March 21. Online bidding ends March 22.
