A tooth formerly belonging to the head of Beatles great John Lennon will begin a tour of dentists’ offices in a bid to raise awareness of cancer.
NME reports that a necklace which features part of one of Lennon’s teeth will take part in the tour, which aims to raise awareness of National Mouth Cancer Month.
The tooth was purchased last year for more than $32,000 by “celebrity tooth collector” Michael Zuk. A chunk of that tooth was then handed off to jewellery designer Ari Soffer who crafted the John Lennon DNA Tooth Necklace.
The necklace will tour 16 different dentists’ offices. Dr. Chris Branfield, who got first dibs, says his patients had a blast wearing the dead man’s tooth as a decoration. “People even got to wear John Lennon’s tooth around their neck and have a picture taken too,” he says.
As for how the tooth has survived the years, The Facebook page Beatles Mania 50 John Lennon Tooth Tour says Lennon gave it to his housekeeper, Dot Jarlett, as a gift for her daughter. It was later sold.
In August the Edmonton Sun reported than another, separate chunk of the same tooth had been used by Zuk’s artist sister Kirsten in a sculpted bust of the singer-songwriter.
“I love John Lennon – I’ve been a huge fan all my life,” Zuk said at the time. “This is like a time-capsule. It will contain his DNA.”
Source: www.inmusic.ca
