Showbiz memorabilia up for grabs

Showbiz memorabilia worth thousands of pounds is to go under the hammer in the Black Country – including 150 autographs by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe and Ginger Rogers.

Three collections in all will go up for sale at Fieldings Auctioneers, in Mill Race Lane, Stourbridge, on December 6. People from across the globe are expected to come to the event.

The first collection is the personal archive of one of Britain's foremost theatrical producers Harold Fielding, who died in 1985.

He put on a string of West End spectaculars during his career including Half a Sixpence, Charlie Girl and Barnum. Items include letters and Christmas cards from Hollywood starlet Ginger Rogers and letters from Marlene Dietrich.

Dietrich appeared in a show for Mr Fielding for the sum of 3,000 dollars – but the letters suggest he was a little slow in sending the money.

One tense telegram, wired on August 11, 1955, reads: "Fielding, Very astonished monies have not yet been received by my bank. This has not been handled as you promised. Deitrich."

The second collection belongs to rock band AC/DC's session drummer Barry Scranage and includes 10 previously unseen photographs of John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

There is also the iconic stage crucifix used in Black Sabbath's 1970s tour and session recordings with Ozzy Osbourne.

The final collection is a wide selection of autographs, including a cheque signed by Marilyn Monroe and an early signed photograph of Charlie Chaplin.

The sale will be open for viewing from 9am to 4pm on December 4, 9am to 8pm on December 5 and 8am to 10am on the day of the sale, December 6.