John Lennon’s ‘Lost Weekend’ Glasses are Headed to Auction

An undeniable piece of John Lennon‘s history is due to head to auction.

Lennon’s “Lost Weekend” glasses — the tinted prescription glasses worn during the infamous 18-month period he spent in Los Angeles from 1973 to 1975 — are among the main items up for bidding as part of Propstore’s Music Memorabilia Live Auction, led out of London with global bidding available. 

This auction brings together some of the most significant pieces of music history, from stage-used guitars and handwritten lyrics to iconic wardrobe and personal artifacts – items that shaped the sound and image of generations.

The glasses are one of the most recognizable personal items of Lennon memorabilia. Propstore’s expert team estimates the glasses will sell for between $198,000 – $396,000.

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“Never known as a violent person and more famous for his involvement with the peace movement, John Lennon’s glasses came to market due to a scuffle with Tom Smothers at the Troubadour Club in Los Angeles,” reveals Mark Hochman, Director of Music & Music Specialist at Propstore.

“After the incident, Smothers’ wife collected the glasses, phoned her friends, and hosted a party where, apparently, guests were thrilled to wear John’s trademark glasses – an indication of just how idolised he was by his contemporaries.” 

Further, the Propstore pro adds, “There’s full photographic documentation that shows Lennon (with Harry Nilsson) entering the Troubadour on March 12th, 1974, enjoying himself inside the club wearing the glasses, and leaving without them.”

Lennon’s “Lost Weekend” period came after he separated from his second wife, Yoko Ono, who he married in 1969. He moved on quickly with his assistant, May Pang, at Ono’s encouragement. She explained in a 1980 interview for Playboy that she “really needed some space because I was used to being an artist and free and all that.”

“And when I got together with John, because we’re always in the public eye, I lost the freedom. Both of us were together all the time, twenty-four hours a day. The pressure was particularly strong on me because of being the one who stole John Lennon from the public,” she explained.

“I was under very strong pressure and my artwork suffered too as a result of that. I suffered a lot and so I thought I that I wanted to be free from all that. I needed the space to think. I thought it would be a good idea that he would go to LA and just leave me alone for a while.”

In a 1975 interview with NME, shortly after that time in his life came to an end, he told the outlet, “This is no disrespect to anybody else I was having relationships with – but I feel like I was running around with me head off, and now I got me head back on.”

“Yoko and I were always in touch, either on the phone or in one way or another. I just sort of came home, is what happened. It’s like I went out to get a coffee or a newspaper somewhere and it took a year…like Sinbad. I went on a boat and went around the world and had a mad trip which I’m glad is over.”

Of the time apart, he continued, “Yoko and I have known each other for nine years, which is a long friendship on any level. It was a long year, but it’s been a nine-year relationship, a seven-year marriage – maybe it was the seven-year crutch.”

“And apart from the pain we caused each other, it probably helped us. We knew we were getting back together; it was just a matter of when. We knew – everybody else might not have, but we did.”

Lennon and Ono remained married until his death in 1980.

The two-day Music Memorabilia Auction will begin at 7:00 AM PDT / 3:00 PM BST each day. The first day of the auction features in-room bidding open to the public at The Cumberland Hotel on October 23, 2025. Registration is now open, and the full catalog is available to view.