The Doors' unseen memorabilia to go under the hammer

Never-before-seen memorabilia relating to US rock band The Doors is to go under the hammer in Surrey.

Consisting of documents, including letters and invoices, the unique archive is said to shed light on the band's attempts to break through in Europe in the late '60s and early '70s.

Also included is a signed copy of Morrison Hotel, which has been autographed by all four members. It was the group's fifth LP, released a year before the death of singer Jim Morrison in 1971.

The collection goes under the hammer at Ewbank's Auctions in Woking on 26 February with an upper guide price of £10,500.

Denise Kelly, from Ewbank's Auctions, said: "This archive provides a hugely detailed and fascinating insight into an iconic band whose music and character resonates just as strongly today.

"It comes to auction here unaltered after nearly 60 years, instantly recapturing the hippy spirit of the times."

Among the collection are letters penned by The Doors' then-publicist Leon Barnard, a superfan who was hired to help promote the band in Sweden and Denmark.

Various recording studio invoices are also included, such as one bill for a damaged microphone.

Kelly said they provided "small but telling details that vividly illustrate the intensity and unpredictability of the band's creative process".

She added that other paperwork also offered a "rare insight into the moment The Doors transitioned from an unsigned Los Angeles club act to a major label recording artist".

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