Drum kit Ringo Starr used in Beatles hits sells for $2.2M

This Sept. 23, 2015, file photo shows Ringo Starr posing for a portrait at Book Soup in West Hollywood, Calif. A drum kit that Starr used to record some of the Beatles’ early hits has sold for $2.2 million at an auction to Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay. Julien’s Auctions says Irsay bought the 1963 Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl three-piece drum kit Friday at a sale in Beverly Hills, California. The two-day auction includes over 800 items owned by Ringo Starr and his wife, actress Barbara Bach. AP FILE PHOTO

NEW YORK — A drum kit Ringo Starr used to record some of the Beatles’ early hits has sold for $2.2 million at auction to the owner of the Indianapolis Colts, an American football team.

Julien’s Auctions says Jim Irsay bought the 1963 Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl three-piece drum kit Friday at a Beverly Hills auction, which includes over 800 items owned by Ringo Starr and his wife, actress Barbara Bach.

READ: Beatles guitar fetches $2.4M at US auction

Starr used the kit in more than 200 performances between May 1963 and February 1964. He also played it on recordings including “Can’t Buy Me Love,” ”She Loves You,” ”All My Loving” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”

The auction concludes Saturday. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the couple’s Lotus Children Foundation, which focuses on global social welfare issues.

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