The sale on Thursday, March 24, also includes signed photographs of some of the biggest stars from the golden age of Hollywood including Frank Sinatra, Katherine Hepburn, Clark Gable and June Allyson, consigned by a Shenstone resident.

All originally signed and personalised to a fan called ‘Gigliola’, the quartet of photos is estimated to fetch £400 to £600.

Also in the sale is a collection of autograph books and original photography of many household names.

Robert French, ephemera specialist at The Lichfield Auction Centre, said: “The autograph books are an absolute treasure trove of signatures by some of the greatest stars of the 20^th century and when I started to look through them all I was absolutely captivated.

“The original owner of the albums attended many film and theatrical garden parties and events of the 1940s and 1950s – I’ve never seen such a comprehensive collection of autographs.”

Seven albums feature hundreds of autographs from some of the biggest names from the 20^th century including Frank Sinatra, Sean Connery, Judy Garland, Kenneth More, Marlene Dietrich, Noel Coward, Charles Laughton, Alec Guinness, John Gielgud, Sam Wanamaker, Liberace, Bob Hope, Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, Orson Welles, Gracie Fields, Ralph Richardson, Tyrone Power, Dirk Bogarde, Albert Finney, Rex Harrison, Claudette Colbert, Stewart Granger, Danny Kaye, Judy Garland, Hank Williams, Alec Guinness, Wilfred Hyde White, Richard Attenborough, Leslie Howard, Jack Warner, Diana Dors, Joyce Grenfell, Norman Wisdom, John Mills, Trevor Howard, Margaret Lockwood, Stanley Baker, Peter Ustinov and Harry Secombe.

More recent celebrities include Brian Conley, Ruth Madoc, Roy Barraclough, Kathy Staff, Michael Aspel, Eric Sykes and many others.

There are also many Polaroid photographs taken at events featuring Michael Palin, Kenneth Williams and Sue Pollard – all signed – plus others of Adam Faith, Dennis Waterman, Sylvester McCoy, Ken Dodd, Francesca Annis, Anthony Head, Frank Finlay, Derek Jacobi, Hayley Mills, Stratford Johns, Nigel Planer, Robert Powell, Keith Barron and more.

“Earlier photographs feature names such as Bob Hope, Kenneth More, Noel Coward, Laurence Harvey, Dulcie Gray, Peter Finch, David Jacobs, Anna Neagle, Joyce Grenfell, Jack Hawkins, Stanley Baker and many more, plus ticket stubs from film garden party events where many of the signatures were obtained,” added Mr French.

The collection across 10 lots includes other film star photographs and theatre ephemera and is expected to sell for around £800 to £1,000.

Music memorabilia and concert programmes in the same auction feature David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Oasis, The Pogues, Dire Straits, Santana and John Martyn.

There is also a rare February 1969 concert programme complete with ticket stub for Tyrannosaurus Rex – before the band morphed into T. Rex – featuring John Peel, an early supporter of Marc Bolan’s group.

Bowie is also on the bill of 'For The Lion And The Unicorn In The Oak Forests Of Faun' at Birmingham Town Hall – for a mime performance.

The same March 24 sale features a rare collection bound copies of the Tamworth Herald, dating from as early as 1917 all the way to 1968, as well as a collection of more than 100 lots of cricket books including complete runs of Wisden, a variety of county year books and ephemera from every cricket county.

Also going under the hammer that day is the British Empire Medal archive and war trophies of Grenville Grayer, one of the team who took part in the arrest and interrogation of evil SS leader Heinrich Himmler.

Have a sneak preview of the catalogue right here. You can also register to bid on the same link.

The Tamworth Auction Rooms in Church Street, starts at 10am.

For auction information, viewing and valuation enquiries, call 01827 217746 or email tamworth@richardwinterton.co.uk.