Enhanced images of a significant moment in history have emerged, capturing the final photo sighting of John Lennon with his eventual killer, Mark David Chapman.
On December 8, 1980, as Lennon left his residence on Central Park West in New York, he paused to sign a record album for Chapman, a former security guard.
The encounter was documented by Paul Goresh, a dedicated Beatles fan who frequently waited outside the Dakota Building where Lennon resided.
Little did Goresh know that these photographs would become the last ever taken of Lennon.
After signing the album for Chapman, Lennon proceeded to the Record Plant studios on West 48th Street.
Tragically, when he returned home later that evening, Chapman was waiting for him in the shadows.
With a .38 handgun, Chapman took Lennon’s life right in front of his wife, Yoko Ono.
This shocking event left an indelible mark on millions of people around the world, who remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they learned of Lennon’s untimely demise.
The photograph of Lennon signing the album for Chapman has circulated widely, albeit in blurry reproductions.
However, a newly unearthed negative provides a clearer image, highlighting the chilling irony of the moment—a beloved music icon performing an act of kindness for his future assassin.
This enhanced photograph, along with four other images captured by Goresh, will be auctioned on Tuesday as part of a posthumous sale of his memorabilia collection, expected to fetch approximately $500,000 (£405,000).
Lennon’s tragic death occurred just as he had begun to write songs and record again following a five-year hiatus.
At the age of 40, he was feeling optimistic about the future, having recently re-emerged from a self-imposed break from music.
Lennon had relocated to New York a decade earlier, seeking freedom from the confines of his Beatles persona and the relentless scrutiny faced by Yoko.
Together, they delved into activism, battling the U.S. Government’s attempts to deport Lennon based on a minor drug offense in London.
While Lennon’s marriage with Yoko had experienced its ups and downs, they had found stability with the birth of their son, Sean.
Lennon embraced the role of a “house husband,” while Yoko managed their business ventures.
New York provided Lennon with the privacy he craved, as personal security was virtually nonexistent.
The city, however, was plagued by crime during this time, prompting Lennon and Yoko to donate funds for bulletproof vests for Manhattan police officers.
Despite Yoko’s superstitions and anxieties about her husband’s safety, Lennon’s fate was sealed when Mark David Chapman arrived in New York.
Chapman, a Beatles fan turned hater, believed that Lennon’s pursuit of wealth and material possessions had betrayed the spirit of the band.
Obsessed with J.D.
Salinger’s novel “The Catcher in the Rye” and convinced that Lennon’s murder would transform him into the book’s protagonist, Chapman stalked Lennon outside the Dakota building for several days before finally encountering him on December 8.
Paul Goresh, unaware of Chapman’s intentions, had a brief conversation with him before Lennon appeared.
Goresh approached Lennon with a book he hoped to have autographed, and it was during this interaction that Chapman thrust the Double Fantasy album in front of Lennon.
The relaxed atmosphere continued as Lennon joined a crew of radio personalities for a ride to the recording studio, with Goresh capturing more photographs along the way.
That evening, Lennon spent time in the studio, playing guitar on one of Yoko’s solo tracks.
After the session ended, Lennon decided to return to the Dakota to say goodnight to his son.
Unfortunately, tragedy struck as their car parked at the curb instead of entering the building’s courtyard.
Chapman took advantage of the situation, firing four shots at Lennon.
The police arrived shortly after, finding Lennon beyond saving and Chapman calmly reading “The Catcher in the Rye.”
Paul Goresh, who captured these significant images, passed away in 2018.
Before his death, he entrusted his collection to a dealer with the understanding that it would not be sold during his lifetime.
Now, these iconic photographs, including the last known images of John Lennon, will be auctioned on Tuesday.
The collection is considered one of the most important Beatles-related groups of images to come to market in recent years.
Interested buyers can view the entire Goresh collection on eBay or justkidscollections.com.
