Prototype Guitar Given Away By George Harrison Now Worth Over $500,000

Regular viewers of BBC's Antiques Roadshow were treated to an incredible story and a massive price tag on the long-running TV show's latest episode.

While there's never a shortage of musical instruments at any Roadshow, one man had to know his appraisal was getting on television when he turned up to have evaluated a guitar that once belonged to George Harrison.

The prototype fretless guitar was made between 1964 and 1968 by Bartell of California. The company's Beatles fan owner gave away two of his creations: one to John Lennon and another to Jimi Hendrix.

Lennon gifted his guitar to Harrison, who in time passed it to its current owner, Ray, who knew Harrison from working as a session guitarist for Handmade Films (the company Harrison formed to finance Monty Python's Life of Brian).

Roadshow appraiser Jon Baddeley valued the instrument at £400,000 (about $510,000), calling it "by far the most expensive thing" he's appraised in his 25 years on the Antiques Roadshow.

Ray told the story as to how Harrison imparted the gift.

"One of the things I used to do regularly was sessions for Handmade Films, which George Harrison started," Ray said. "At the end of [a] session, George said to me, 'I'm not sure what to do with this, but you have a go.' I just got handed a guitar. it's a strange thing to play. I played a few notes and he said, 'Yeah, you're definitely getting more out of it than I am. It's doing better for you. Why don't you have it?'"

Ray also provided a photograph of Harrison with the guitar in his personal collection. He didn't say whether he planned to sell it.

"I never really thought about value, George being a mate and all that," he said after getting the astonishing valuation. "...I don't know what to say, actually. I'm really taken aback by it. I didn't realize it was worth that much money. ...It's lucky I don't keep it in the house."

Baddeley elaborated on why the guitar could fetch so much at auction.

"It's initially a very rare guitar," he said. "Then to somebody who's a Beatles fan, to own a guitar that was once owned by both John Lennon and George Harrison — can you get a better history? Two of the most important rock stars of the 20th century."

Photo: Getty Images