Silver flute heard on Beatles' famous song sold at auction for £23,000

A silver flute heard on The Beatles' 1967 track "The Fool On The Hill" found a new owner at auction for £23,000, equivalent to approximately €27,000. The instrument belonged to session musician Jack Ellory from Cornwall, whose son Brian Ellory has placed the instrument up for sale. The elder Ellory is renowned for his work on the soundtracks of James Bond and Pink Panther films, as well as the musical Oliver!

The silver flute heard on The Beatles' 1967 track "The Fool On The Hill" was sold at auction for £23,000, valuing the instrument at approximately €27,000. The flute belonged to flautist Jack Ellory from Cornwall, whose son Brian Ellory currently lives in Shropshire and decided to put the inheritance up for sale.

Jack Ellory was one of London's most sought-after session musicians during the 1950s and 1960s. His playing can be heard on the soundtracks of James Bond and Pink Panther films, as well as in the musical Oliver! Ellory grew up in a small village in Cornwall but later moved to London to pursue a professional music career. At the time, London had only a handful of flautists working at such a high level, and they were regularly called upon by agents for various projects.

Brian Ellory admitted that the decision to sell was not easy. "The family is tremendously proud of my father and his achievements," he said, adding that it took considerable deliberation to let the flute go. Nevertheless, the instrument ultimately found its way to a new owner through the auction.