This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/23/2023
A truly fascinating and rare archive of material relating to John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s ‘Bed In For Peace’ which took place at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel, Amsterdam, Holland between 25th and 31st March 1969.
On 20th March 1969 John and Yoko married in Gibraltar and then traveled to Paris to honeymoon for a few days. The couple then went on to Amsterdam in John’s white Rolls Royce to set up residency on the ninth floor of the Amsterdam Hilton hotel in room 902, the Presidential Suite, to host the now famous ‘Bed In For Peace’ protest. News of the event traveled fast and 100s of journalists began to gather at the venue.
Upon reading about the event in her attic bedroom in a small village named Aerdenhout in Holland a 16 year old Dutch Beatles fan named Constance Vrijdaghs decided to head straight to the Amsterdam Hilton hotel on 26th March 1969. When she arrived she started chatting with two girls and a boy who were looking up at the windows at the ‘Hair Peace’ and ‘Bed Peace’ signs being displayed in them. Constance then asked if they had been upstairs to which they said ‘no’, undeterred Constance decided she would make an attempt to meet her idol.
Once inside the hotel Constance informed the doorman that she was heading to the bar for a coffee, as soon as she passed him she ran for the doors of the elevator, jumped in and pressed floor nine. Unfortunately for Constance the doors just did not close quickly enough and she was caught by a porter, Constance quickly pulled out her Dutch Beatles Fan Club membership card and stated, ‘I am from the Dutch Beatles Fan Club and I would like to congratulate John and Yoko on their marriage and I am here to interview them’. The porter, however, was skeptical and removed her from the elevator, Constance was asked to wait in the lobby while the porter made a call, around 20 minutes later two men from Bovema, The Beatles record company in Holland, came and met her to take up to room 902 on the ninth floor.
The door opened and John and Yoko were sat on the bed in their pajamas, Constance congratulated the couple on their recent marriage and then John ushered her over to sit on the edge of the bed, she sat and chatted for a while and asked the couple to sign her copy of the March 1969 issue of The Beatles Monthly book which they duly did.
After some time Constance was asked to leave by the executives from the record company but she was not done yet, she asked John that if she wrote down some questions in the lobby of the hotel for an article she was doing for the Dutch Beatles Fan Club would he and Yoko answer them and then send them on to her, they agreed.
On 28th March 1969 the completed and signed questionnaires in John and Yoko’s hand with a covering letter on Amsterdam Hilton letterhead paper were mailed back to Constance in her home town of Aerdenhout.
The archive consists of the following material:-
1. A one page covering letter on Amsterdam Hilton letterhead paper written in the hand of John Lennon in black felt tipped pen, the letter is signed by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in black felt tipped. It reads:- ‘Dear Constance it was too complicated to do the way you wanted – so I wrote in BLACK and Yoko in BLUE. ON most things we thought the same so only JOHN filled in. John & Yoko’
2. Questionnaire 1 - A sheet of white lined notepad paper on which Constance Vrijdaghs has handwritten 11 questions over both sides of the sheet to put to John and Yoko. The couple have handwritten their respective responses in black and blue pens. At the end of the questionnaire John Lennon has signed in black felt tipped pen and Yoko Ono has signed in blue ballpoint pen. John has also drawn facial doodles of himself and Yoko. The questionnaire reads as follows:-
Will you both please answer the questions?
For instance John 1 – 6 and Yoko 7 – 11 and on the other page Yoko 1 – 6 and John 7 – 11. Thank you!
1. Do you both still use drugs?
John’s answer: ‘occasionally’
2. Are you going to make a second album with Yoko?
John’s answer: ‘It’s finished and out on May 2nd’
3. What do you think at the moment?
John’s answer: ‘I feel tired. I want peace. and some food’
4. You believe in reincarnation isn’t it? What do you think you’ll be after life?
John’s answer: ‘something nice’
Yoko’s answer: ‘I will be with John again’
5. Do you really believe you can talk to Brian Epstein by means of ( ) (I don’t know the exact word) calling him up?
John’s answer: ‘maybe. I believe in EVERYTHING until it is disproved.’
6. Yoko, is your film of ‘John’s Smile’ coming in the cinemas of Holland?
John’s answer: ‘YES. – soon.’
Yoko’s answer: ‘- hope so
7. Why did you come to Amsterdam for your honeymoon trip?
John’s answer: ‘Because the youth of Amsterdam are HIP, and AWARE’, John has also drawn two eyes and a nose after his answer.
Yoko’s answer: ‘good vibration’
8. What do you think of the Maharishi at this moment?
John’s answer: ‘I like him. and I still meditate’
9. Why do you say (if you really said it) that people may say that you’re the most awful couple of the world? You two look just lovely in those white pajamas.
John’s answer: ‘It hurts when people are cruel – but I also feel sorry for them. and thank you.’
10. When is that life (sic) concert coming? Is it coming now you had a kind of fight with George?
John’s answer: ‘Soon. It was only an argument – no a real fight. The press exaggerates you know!’
11. What do you think ‘Apple’ will do in the future?
John’s answer: ‘many things – RECORDS Films etc.’
Will you please sign here?
John Lennon and Yoko Ono signed in vintage pen, with his self portrait.
3. Questionnaire 2 - A sheet of white lined notepad paper on which Constance Vrijdaghs has handwritten 11 questions over both sides of the sheet to put to John and Yoko. The couple have handwritten their respective responses in black and blue pens. At the end of the questionnaire John Lennon has signed in black felt tipped pen and Yoko Ono has signed in blue ballpoint pen. John has also drawn facial doodles of himself and Yoko. The questionnaire reads as follows:-
Will you both please answer the questions?
For instance John 1 – 6 and Yoko 7 – 11 and on the other page Yoko 1 – 6 and John 7 – 11. Thank you!
1. Do you both still use drugs?
John’s answer: ‘occasionally’
2. Are you going to make a second album with Yoko?
John’s answer: ‘It’s out on May 2nd’
3. What do you think at the moment?
John’s answer: ‘I’m hungry’
4. You believe in reincarnation isn’t it? What do you think you’ll be after life?
John’s answer: ‘Happy’
5. Do you really believe you can talk to Brian Epstein by means of (seances) (I don’t know the exact word) calling him up?
John’s answer: ‘maybe - I believe in everything’
6. Yoko, is your film of ‘John’s Smile’ coming in the cinemas of Holland?
Yoko’s answer: ‘I hope so’
7. Why did you come to Amsterdam for your honeymoon trip?
Yoko’s answer: ‘It’s a beautiful place for it and I’m glad we came’
8. What do you think of the Maharishi at this moment?
Yoko’s answer: ‘I respect him and I am thankful that we learnt meditation from him’
9. Why do you say (if you really said it) that people may say that you’re the most awful couple of the world? You two look just lovely in those white pajamas.
Yoko’s answer: ‘Thank you – but you know up till now we got many criticisms from all over the world’
10. When is that life (sic) concert coming? Is it coming now you had a kind of fight with George?
John’s answer: ‘See other paper’
11. What do you think ‘Apple’ will do in the future?
John’s answer: ‘See other paper’
Will you please sign here. John and Yoko signed.
4. A copy of The Beatles Monthly book, issue number 68, March 1969 that has been autographed on the center pages by John Lennon in black felt tipped pen and Yoko Ono in blue ballpoint pen. The color image on the centerfold shows The Beatles recording ‘Let It Be’ at Apple Studios, Savile Row, London on 24th January 1969. The center pages are loose and there are pin holes in the corners.
5. A black and white snapshot photograph of John and Yoko taken during a television interview which has been signed on the reverse by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in blue ballpoint pen. John has drawn facial doodles of himself and Yoko next to his signature. There is a crease running across the bottom half of the photograph. Constance Vrijdaghs has written the date 26th March 1969 under the signatures.
6. A vintage black and white press photograph of John and Yoko that was taken inside the Amsterdam Hilton, Amsterdam, Holland during the ‘Bed In For Peace’ between 25th and 31st March 1969. Constance Vrijdaghs has written the date 26th March 69 and some other text on the back of the photograph.
7. Constance Vrijdaghs’ Dutch Beatles Fan Club membership card that she used to gain access to room 902 at the Amsterdam Hilton, Amsterdam, Holland to meet John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
8. A Dutch catalog for John Lennon’s Bag One exhibition.
9. The original mailing envelope that was used to send the covering letter and signed, handwritten questionnaires back to Constance Vrijdaghs in her hometown of Aerdenhout. The envelope is postmarked 28th March 1969. It also has ‘Hilton Hotel, room 902, Mr Hille & Boskamp Bovema’ written on it.
The most incredible collection of “Bed-In” related material we have ever offered
All in good condition
Authentication: Roger Epperson (REAL) Letter of Authenticity and a Gotta Have Rock and Roll Certificate of Authenticity.
This item has been pre-certified by Frank Caiazzo and if the winning bidder wants a full Letter of Authenticity we can help facilitate this process.