John Lennon's psychedelic Rolls-Royce: History and Key Facts

John Lennon's psychedelic Rolls-Royce is an art car created in 1967 and later displayed in many museums.

After previously owning a used Rolls-Royce, John Lennon of the Beatles ordered a new bespoke Rolls-Royce Phantom V limousine in December 1964. Originally painted matte black, the car was delivered six months later in June 1965. When Lennon was in Spain filming How I Won the War in 1966, the car was damaged, including scuffing of its finish. Lennon decided to have the car repainted bright yellow and decorated with motifs from Romany decorative arts. Artist Steve Weaver embellished the car with elaborate, bright swirls and floral motifs in the psychedelic style associated with the Beatles in that era, and the vehicle became a sensation.

Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono donated it to the Cooper-Hewitt Museum for a tax deduction in 1977, and it has been widely exhibited ever since. When sold in 1985, it was the most expensive automobile ever to be auctioned at that time. The limousine is now owned by the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria, British Columbia.

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