Christie’s Auctions Off Beatles Photo Collection

Rare images of the The Beatles are on the auction block in Manhattan today. Mike Mitchell was a young photographer when he captured The Beatles at the Washington Coliseum in 1964.

It was the band's first American concert ever.  Now, Mitchell's selling pictures from that night and others snapped during the birth of Beatlemania in the U.S.  Christie's is handling the sale of the collection, which is expected to attract around 100-thousand dollars in total.  In the lead up to today's sale, Mitchell showed the photos in a London exhibition to spur interest.  Mitchell says he tried to set himself apart by capturing Paul, John, Ringo, and George from unexpected vantage points.  The photographer, who is now in his mid-60s, adds that a lot has changed over the years.  He notes that security wasn't as tight back then.

For decades, the photos have collected dust in Mike's basement.  Mitchell admits that he's selling the collection for the money, adding that the recent housing crunch in the U.S. has impacted him. Visit Christie's website for more information on the Mike Mitchell photos.