Limited Edition 'Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite' Letterpress Print
This is a reproduction of the poster that inspired John Lennon to write the song Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!, which appeared on The Beatles' 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It is printed in a limited edition of 1,967.
Lennon bought the poster in an antiques shop and hung it in his music room. While writing for Sgt. Pepper one day, he drew inspiration from the quirky, old-fashioned language and set the words to music.
Every effort has been made to be true to the original poster and it is printed using the same methods that would have been used in 1843. Every single print in this limited edition is individually inked and hand-pulled on a vintage Albion press. After drying, it is numbered by hand, in pencil at the lower right in the form #/1967. Each print also comes with a hand-signed certificate of authenticity.
Printed on archival-quality paper and featuring two wood-engravings by renowned artist Andy English, this reproduction is a not only a beautiful letterpress print in its own right, but a unique and fascinating item of Beatles memorabilia. Properly cared-for, it should last at least as long as John Lennon's original copy.
A print from this edition will soon be added to the permanent collection at London's Victoria & Albert Museum.
Prints are sold unframed, though we do offer a high-quality framing service. Please see below for details.
Medium
Letterpress print, with two wood-engravings.
Dimensions
The overall dimensions are approximately: 273mm (10.75") x 494mm (19.5"). These measurements include an unprinted 'margin' of approximately 25mm (1") around all sides of the printed area. Paper is cut by hand, so some small variance should be expected.
Substrate
It is printed on 225gsm Zerkall 902 Rough. This is heavy, archival-quality paper that is superbly suited to letterpress printing. Please note that the images on this page may not accurately show the colour of the paper, which could be described as off-white or very pale cream.
The poster reads as follows:
Prints are sold unframed. However, we do offer a frame that is custom made to fit this print for an additional £160 GBP (plus VAT, if applicable). The price also includes the additional shipping charges to your location and we ship them via FedEx or UPS. Add a frame to your order.
We take great care with packaging to help ensure that your print reaches you in excellent condition. Prints are wrapped in acid-free tissue paper and shipped in large-diameter, thick-walled tubes with secured end caps.
We ship worldwide, using the Royal Mail's Special Delivery service (for UK orders) and International Signed For services (for all other orders). Depending on the destination, orders for multiple prints may arrive in multiple packages.
UK orders are usually delivered within two working days. International orders are normally delivered within 5–10 working days.
