A pair of leather trousers thought to have belonged to Sir Paul McCartney have been discovered in a UK home, whose owner was given them by the Beatles' manager, Brian Epstein.
 Brian Epstein gave the trousers away in order to encourage the Beatles to start wearing the sharp suits for which they became known |
The trousers were found as Mr Hoggard, who used to be in a jazz band during the Beatles' Cavern Club days, prepared to move house.
Hoggard says Epstein gave them to him following a gig - in which the Beatles served as the support act to his Yorkshire Jazz Band - in the early 1960s.
"The trousers were in a bag hanging up [in the dressing room]. Epstein said to take them because he wanted to get them out of the leather and into these suits," Hoggard told the BBC.
"So I took them and I wore them. At the time they [The Beatles] weren't famous at all, so there was no sort of thought about 'I've got something that's massively invaluable' or anything like that, just I fancied a pair of leather trousers."
The trousers are marked with the name "Paul" inside, further alluding to their authenticity. However, Sir Paul's office has declined to comment.
The pair have been researched by Mr Hoggard's son in law Paul Bennett-Todd, who states that he was "sceptical" at first but is now convinced that they are the real deal.
"They're exactly the right inside leg measurement and they're exactly the right waist measurement. They [the Beatles] went to a small independent tailor in St Paul's district of Hamburg and commissioned the trousers to be made," he explained.
"That's what makes these trousers so very individual."
Mr Hoggard has now said that he hopes to sell the trousers, with strong results expected after a leather jacket worn by George Harrison during the Beatles' time in Hamburg sold for $178,000 at Bonhams in December 2012.
At Heritage Auctions this weekend, the lowest-numbered sleeve of the White Album and an extremely rare alternative Sgt. Pepper's sleeve were among the highest selling lots.
Meanwhile, a £10,000 ($15,479) valued Nehru jacket worn by John Lennon will be offered by Hansons Auctioneers on August 22, with exceptional provenance provided from Jo Jo Johns, a former PA to the Beatles who was charged with clearing Lennon's house following his move to America in 1971.
See our superb Beatles collectibles for sale for the latest addition to your collection.
