The Beatles' first fully signed contract with manager Brian Epstein is expected to raise 250,000 pounds ($476,000) when it comes up for auction in London in September.

Epstein's personal copy of the historic document will be included in auctioneer The Fame Bureau's Sept. 4 sale of rock and pop memorabilia at the Idea Generation Gallery in east London, said an e-mailed statement issued on behalf of the specialist auction house.

The contract, which entitled the manager to 25 percent of the band's gross earnings, was signed by Epstein on Oct. 1, 1962, after he secured The Beatles' first record agreement with EMI.

The Fame Bureau auction will also include the Bechstein piano used by The Beatles to record ``Hey Jude,'' estimated at between 300,000 pounds and 400,000 pounds.

In October 2000, at a joint New York and London auction organized by Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood and Ted Owen, singer George Michael paid 1.67 million pounds with fees for the piano on which Lennon wrote ``Imagine.''