Eric Morecambe’s never-before-seen lifetime of treasures up for auction

Eric Morecambe's antiques, collectibles, art and Lord's Taverners memorabilia is up for auction in January 2025.

The sale of 700 lots, the entire contents of Brachefield, Eric’s former home in Harpenden, Hertfordshire demonstrates his dedication to his comedy craft. Secrets of his success are revealed by a mountain of never-before-seen items including gag and sketch ideas galore.

Eric never threw anything away, ever, according to Hansons Auctioneers, which will offer The Eric Morecambe collection on January 10-11, 2025.

Hansons said: “Every handwritten note offers new insight into his character. Though he made comedy look effortless and was arguably the most naturally funny man Britain has ever known, he never stopped working on new material. Take, for instance, an instruction manual for a stereo – it’ll be covered in jotted ideas for gags. Eric kept absolutely every scrap of paper. He was constantly honing his craft, even when he and comedy partner Ernie Wise were the most successful performers in the country attracting millions of viewers.

“Eric was a national treasure and yet remained humble and hungry, constantly working on his talents. There are dozens of joke books, each one underlined, altered, annotated – where he’s re-working gags. He literally never stopped. Some people think success is down to luck. It’s not. It’s down to endless hard work and a passion for what you do. Eric had that in spades. Add Ernie Wise and their script writer Eddie Braben into the mix and magic happened.

“This collection offers a new understanding of a comedy genius. It also shines a light on Eric’s family life, likes and loves, which included country pursuits and antiques. Plus, we gain fresh insight into the rise to fame of Morecambe and Wise, Britain’s best loved comedy duo.

“We have Eric’s wife, Joan, and family to thank for enabling this important collection to be shared with the nation. Joan passed away on her 97th birthday on March 26 [2024] leaving the Morecambe family’s mountain of memories perfectly intact. She lost Eric to a heart attack in 1984 when he was only 58 but loved him to the end. She never let anything go, though she outlived him by four decades. This sale allows us to complete the Eric Morecambe story.”

To hear the thoughts of the Morecambe family about the auction, click here.

For more information about the auction you can discover all you need to know here.

See images of the Taverners related items available in the auction below, which include:

• Three of Eric's various Lord's Taverners neck ties with varying logos.
  
  
• A Court crystal presentation decanter with engraved dedication: FROM LADY TAVERNERS JOAN MORECAMBE GOLF DAY 1992 and a presentation glass bowl from: THE LADY TAVERNERS EAST ANGLIA REGION Presented to JOAN MORECAMBE 27 MARCH 2000
  
  
• Autograph letters signed to Eric Morecambe from HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinbugh from Sandringham dated 4 January 1980 thanking Eric for his three year tenure as President of the Lord's Taverners.
  
  
• A Christmas party invitation to Eric Morecambe from Prime Minister Harold Wilson, 1975; letters from Lord Birkett (Lord Chamberlain's Office); Duke of Marlborough; Dennis Howell; Tom Arnold MP; four typed letters from Duke of Wellington from 1976 regarding the Wellington Park Country Fair Eric and Joan attended and a letter inviting Eric for a days fishing; a letter from Eric to Joan on headed notepaper letter in his capacity as President of the Lord's Taverners.
  
  
• A typed and signed letter from Margaret Thatcher 10 Downing Street dated 19 September 1979 responding to Eric's invitation to become the first Honorary lady member of the Lord's Taverners.
  
  
• Two menus for Margaret Thatcher's Tribute Dinner, 11 October 1991, each signed by Margaret and Dennis Thatcher; Eric Morecambe's programme for the President's Ball, 1 November 1976, in which he has extensively annotated the list of members, altering the President from Prince Charles to 'E. Mobe'.