Three related items from 1964:
1) an official Beatles cloth badge / patch by Weldons of Peckham;
2) an ad for the badge from Fabulous magazine;
3) a Kellogg's ad from a later edition of the same magazine offering the badge in a Rice Krispies promotion.
More detail:
1) An embroidered cloth badge, as it was known then, or patch as we're more likely to call it these days, which was initially only available attached to the front of the Official Beatles Sweater. Marketed by Weldons of Peckham - Raymond Weldon being Brian Epstein's cousin - the sweater was the first item of official Beatles merchandise to be approved (not counting postcards and posters, etc). Availability was timed to coincide with the release of With the Beatles, which features the band wearing similar black roll-necks on the cover, and with one eye on the Christmas present market. Offered first to Fan Club members via an order form from November 1963, it was subsequently also advertised in girl's interest magazines like Boyfriend. (See my other items.) From March 1964, Weldons caved in to pressure from fans and finally made the badge available on its own.
2) A direct mail order ad for the cloth badge from Fabulous magazine, May 1964. Note the copywriter's attempt to get down with the kids. It's offered at 3s 6d on a page that also includes an ad for Fan Fotos life-size posters of the band and, overleaf, a competition to win one of 100 tickets to see them at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London, on 31 May 1964, courtesy of Spar Supermarkets and Tulip Chopped Ham. (They do a right good day out, do Tulip Chopped Ham.)
3) A much cooler Fabulous ad, this time full-page. When Weldon decided selling the badges one at a time via mail order had run its course, he did a deal with the Kellogg cereal company. They bought up most of the remainder of the stock and offered them as part of a Rice Krispies promotion. Young fans could now get a badge for just 2s 3d provided they also enclosed two cereal packet tops. As this was a promo officially approved by NEMS, the cereal company was also allowed to use a photo of the band in the ad, together with the inspired slogan 'The Beatles are coming to breakfast'.
In addition to repeating the promotional info, the cardboard cereal box also reproduced a cut out and keep version of the photo, this time also decorated by representations of the members' autographs. (See pic 4, included here for info only.) Just to clarify: the box is NOT being offered as part of this auction.
The Weldon cloth badge is listed and pictured as item no 291 in the 3rd edition of The Beatles Memorabilia Price Guide by Jeff Augsburger et al.
Excellent condition. Badge unused, as new. Some slight yellowing to the ads, which also have gentle horizontal central folds.
The mailing charge for the USA I've quoted allows for the new tariff charges of up to 10%, though this can be unpredictable.
As in all other cases, if it happens to cost less to send than I've quoted, I'll refund any difference over £1.
Check out my other items. I try to list new items of Beatles memorabilia / merchandise every week or two.