'Some of the rarest records in the world' being sold

A collection containing some of the rarest records in the world is going under the hammer later, an auctioneer has said.

Martin Hughes, director of Wessex Auction Rooms in Wiltshire, will be selling items from artists and repertoire (A&R) manager Tony Calder's music collection. Calder worked with legends such as the Beatles and Rod Stewart.

Hughes from Bristol said he believes the collection contains the rarest records in the world.

The auction will also include never-released records, Beatles rarities, David Bowie collectables, Pink Floyd test pressings and promotional releases.

Calder's job as the Beatles' A&R Manager was to create a strategy to sell millions of records for the band.

Hughes added that Calder's first job was "how do we get the Beatles' debut single into the dance halls and make it a hit".

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The records going under the hammer were a part of Calder's independent record label he launched, called Immediate.

The label was short-lived after being affected by financial difficulties soon after it was set up.

Hughes, Wessex Auction Rooms' vinyl specialist, said the collection has a lot of "promo tracks" from famous musicians before they even became successful.

"The big one is Billy Nicholls' Would you Believe," he said. "Loads of big musicians recording on that album, but it never came out.

"This was pressed 100 times, sent out to radio stations but never officially released due to Immediate records falling into financial difficulties," Hughes added

Nicholls, a songwriter and producer, was discovered in his teens by Immediate co-founder Andrew Loog Oldham, he recorded Would You Believe in 1968.

Hughes said the record was meant to be the "UK's answer to Pet Sounds" — meaning Britain's version of the Beach Boys classic hit album in 1966.

Hughes also has a "unique promo pack" for Sticky Fingers, a Rolling Stones album," with merchandise and lyric sheets that have never been used, he said.

"It's a really cool promo for a really important album," he Hughes added. "I would guess this is worth anywhere between £700 - £1000."

The auction will also include signed records, Beatles rarities, David Bowie collectables, Pink Floyd test pressings and promotional releases, and original pressings spanning the history of popular music.

The collection will be auctioned at 10:00 BST.

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