Certified John Mayall Hand-Signed 1965 Publishing Contract — "Bluesbreakers" Pioneer & British Blues Explosion History

This listing is for an exceptional, museum-grade piece of music history and classic rock lore: the original, fully executed two-page The Songwriters' Guild Contract (1964). Formally dated October 7, 1965, this historic legal document is personally hand-signed twice by the legendary "Godfather of British Blues" and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, John Mayall.

Key Archive Features:

• TWO DISTINCT AUTHENTIC JOHN MAYALL SPECIMEN AUTOGRAPHS: The final execution panel features two spectacular, massive vintage signatures from the music pioneer. He signs his name in full, flowing ink across both the "SIGNED by the Composer" and "SIGNED by the Author" lines. Early 1960s legal covenants personally handled and signed by Mayall during the genesis era of the British Blues Explosion are extraordinarily rare.

• HISTORIC "NOWHERE TO TURN" BLUES COMPOSITION: The typewriter-aligned text establishes the formal copyright assignation for an early original musical composition entitled "NOWHERE TO TURN". This song captures Mayall's foundational songwriting era, directly corresponding to the historic period when Eric Clapton had just joined his band, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers.

• GUNNELL MUSIC LTD. & LONDON BLUES SCENE PROVENANCE: The instrument is a binding agreement structured between John Mayall ("the Composer/Author") and Gunnell Music Ltd., located at 47 Gerrard Street, London W.1 ("the Publisher"). Run by influential London club owners and booking agents Rik and John Gunnell, this firm operated out of the absolute epicenter of the Soho blues scene. The document is countersigned on behalf of the publisher by prominent music executive John Gunnell.

• VINTAGE FRACTIONAL REVENUE & GLOBAL RIGHT CLAUSES:

  • The Advance: Section 1 logs a fascinating, traditional British token consideration of one shilling paid to Mayall as an advance on royalties for assigning the full copyright of the musical composition.

  • Territory Parameters: The contract explicitly selects the geographical scope of the copyright assignment, covering "for ALL COUNTRIES" across the global music landscape.

  • Extension Provisions: Section 3 guarantees that the publisher must print, publish, advertise, and cause the work to be performed within two years, with a one-year extension option priced at an additional one shilling.

• WITNESS AND INSTITUTIONAL DESIGN MARKS: Each of the signatures is verified and witnessed in cursive ink by L.K. West on behalf of the guild. The lower boundary of page one carries the automated trade printing index code 3/65/500, while the footer of page two tracks the official guild imprint: the Songwriters' Guild (of Great Britain) Ltd., 32 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W.1 and printed by The Priory Press, St. John's Square, London, E.C.1.

Collector's Archival Condition:

Spanning over six decades of rock and blues heritage, this original two-page document bundle is in magnificent vintage condition. The paper stock remains exceptionally clean, crisp, and structurally flawless, showcasing pristine boundaries, rich ivory-toned aging, and its distinctive official "WG" Songwriters' Guild crest logo at the head of the agreement. All typed legal parameters, custom song titles, London publishing addresses, and John Mayall's dual ink signatures are entirely bold, distinct, and beautifully preserved. The entire historical archive comes safely housed together inside a clear, archival-grade protective sleeve to guarantee museum-quality preservation.

Disclaimer:

Please be advised that the text fields and descriptions provided map directly to the exact physical 1965 British Songwriters' Guild contract, Soho publishing houses, and verified ink signatures included in this archive. As an authentic, hand-signed biographical artifact from the ultimate mentor of British blues—whose bands served as the definitive proving grounds for Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor, and Mick Fleetwood—the precise character of the pen strokes, the alignment of the typewriter impressions, and the natural properties of the vintage paper stock are entirely unique to this individual piece of music history.

Own an Unrivaled Piece of Music Heritage Today!

While standard promotional photos or modern cut signatures can be found anywhere, original, fully executed publishing agreements from the definitive breakout year of the British blues movement represent the absolute highest tier of historical music collecting. Because vintage copyright assignments require legally binding execution to control worldwide broadcasting rights, record printings, and mechanical royalties, they offer a completely un-staged, official confirmation of a musical titan's early professional output and daily business foundations. Directly tracking a premier 1965 Soho blues covenant written and signed twice by John Mayall, this certified archive is a premier crown-jewel centerpiece for any world-class collection of pop culture artifacts, classic rock history, or rare twentieth-century music manuscripts.