Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite - ltd. edition letterpress print
Out of Stock
- Details
- Delivery & Returns
Peter Dean, a London designer and lifelong Beatles fan, has painstakingly recreated this poster, using the traditional printing methods used to create the original poster in 1843. He explains, “I always longed to own a copy of the Mr. Kite poster, but as a designer, I couldn’t accept the poor imitations that were available. So I decided to do it properly.” Dean called on renowned wood-engraving artist Andy English to recreate the two circus characters on the poster, while Graham Bignell, who runs New North Press in Shoreditch, London, matched the Victorian metal and wooden typefaces on the original using his extensive collection of Victorian type.
Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite is a track on the Beatles 1967 Sergeant Pepper album. Initially banned by the BBC for what it perceived as drug references, in fact much of the song’s ornate language was taken directly from a circus poster John Lennon had bought in an antique shop in 1967. Pablo Fanque’s Circus Royal promised dancing horses and legendary contortionists which appealed to Lennon’s sense of the ridiculous. “I had all the words staring me in the face one day when I was looking for a song,” he said. “I hardly made up a word."
Letterpress print, with wood-engravings, edition of 1967. This print is supplied rolled in a postal tube.
The poster, the ultimate piece of memorabilia for all Beatles fans, is printed as a limited edition of 1967 to commemorate Sgt. Pepper’s release date on 1 June 1967.
Delivery
Our standard delivery charges and estimated timescales are as follows. Selected product exceptions apply; see product details. International deliveries may also be subject to customs fees, tariffs or taxes upon arrival, which are your responsibility.
Custom prints
Each print is made to order and dispatched separately to other V&A Shop products, for UK delivery only. The charges and estimated timescales below are in addition to our standard delivery charge when bought together with a V&A Shop product. However, delivery is free for all orders over £60.
Returns
An extended returns window is granted for purchases over the Christmas period. Orders placed from Saturday 1 November 2025 can be returned until Tuesday 20 January 2026, subject to our usual eligibility criteria.
We hope you are happy with your V&A Shop purchase. However, if you are not, most items are eligible for a full refund, subject to the criteria below. Refunds are offered for items in an unused, unopened condition, and with original packaging – with the following exceptions. This does not affect your statutory rights.
The following items are excluded from our returns policy and cannot be refunded unless faulty, damaged, or not as described:
- Custom prints and other items made to your specification or personalised;
- Items that have been sealed for hygiene reasons, where the seal has been broken, such as beauty products, soap, pierced earrings, hosiery, socks, sunglasses and face coverings;
- Perishable or edible items such as flowers or food;
- Memberships, tickets for exhibitions, bookings for events and courses.
For full details, visit our Delivery & Returns page.