The Beatles rare pictures on holiday in Tenerife up for sale in Dallas

• The pictures were taken six months after their hit 'Love Me Do'
• And on the anniversary of the death of the 'fifth Beatle' Stuart Sutcliffe
• The pictures are a 'time capsule' of quieter times before their superstardom

By Steve Hopkins for MailOnline

Published: 07:59 EST, 1 December 2014 | Updated: 08:01 EST, 1 December 2014

Rare pictures showing three of the four Beatles on holiday before Beatlemania took hold have emerged for sale and serve as a 'time capsule' before they shot to super stardom.

The colour photographs of a youthful looking Paul, George and Ringo, were captured in Tenerife by Astrid Kirchherr - who's fiancee and 'fifth Beatle' Stuart Sutcliffe had tragically died a year before.

In April 1963 the band's manager, Brian Epstein, told them to take a holiday after a tough year of recording, touring and recovering from Sutcliffe's death.

Posing up: Rare pictures showing Paul, George and Ringo from the Beatles on holiday in Tenerife before the band became world famous are to be sold in the U.S. on Friday

Casually unaware: Paul, 20, sports a plaster on his nose to protect against the harsh sun while photographer Astrid Kirchherr and George look cool for the camera

Close: One image shows Kirchherr canoodling with George who wears a dress shirt and swimming shorts

Nothing to see here: In one picture a sunbather is seen strolling past without batting an eyelid at the musicians who had experienced their first number one hit with 'Love Me Do', six months earlier

The band that made her name: Kirchherr is still the photographer most readily associated with the Beatles, according to Eric Bradley, of Heritage Auctions in Dallas

Taken on the first anniversary of his death, Paul and George are seen wearing formal, long-sleeve shirts over skimpy swimming shorts as they relax by the seaside while smoking cigarettes.

One image shows Kirchherr canoodling with George while in another Paul, 20, wears a plaster on his nose to protect it from the sun.

Despite having already tasted success with their number one hit 'Love Me Do' six months earlier, the band were relatively unknown at this time. In one picture a sunbather is seen strolling past without even batting an eyelid at the musicians.

John Lennon was also on holiday at the same time, but chose to go to Spain with Epstein.

The holiday came just weeks before 'Beatlemania' took off in the UK following the band's second number one song 'From Me to You' in May 1963.

Kirchherr was meant to have produced 100 portfolios of prints from her Tenerife negatives but she only ever made 15.

Almost famous: Paul looks far from a super star, pictured in a buttoned-up shirt and short swimming shorts

The start of things to come: George strikes a pose behind black wayfarers, as Kirchherr sits behind him

Three's company: Paul and Kirchherr cuddle-up as George clowns-about with a sticker on his nose

More than a band: Mr Bradley said the pictures capture the Beatles as friends, rather than stars in the making

Back to back: Paul and Ringo take a seat and pose for a picture beside the pool in Tenerife

One of these images is now coming up for public auction for the first time at Heritage Auctions in Dallas, U.S.

Eric Bradley, of Heritage, said the pictures capture the Beatles as friends, rather than stars in the making.

He said: 'These pictures are simply photos of good, close friends. It is clear they are quite relaxed in each other's company.

'They capture the Beatles just before the onset of Beatlemania. They are still able to be in unguarded in public, something they weren't able to do ever again, anywhere in the world, just a few months later.

Kirchherr took the photos with her portable Rolleicord camera and each print is numbered and signed

Mr Bradley said of the collection: 'These photos are a lovely time capsule of a quiet moment just before the most intense explosion of fame the world has ever witnessed'

Mr Bradley said: 'Once the fame occurred, the Beatles were not allowed to be private citizens ever again. These photos are a lovely time capsule of a quiet moment just before the most intense explosion of fame the world has ever witnessed.'

The Beatles were very popular in Germany during their early days and Kirchherr became friendly with them, in particular Sutcliffe who died of a brain haemorrhage.

Mr Bradley said: 'It is not an understatement to say that Astrid Kirchherr is still the photographer most readily associated with the Beatles - not just because of the powerful images of the group.

'Sutcliffe, influenced by Kirchherr, was the first Beatle to adopt the 'moptop' haircut.'

Kirchherr took the photos with her portable Rolleicord camera. Each print is signed by her and numbered 11/100.

The 11 prints, that measure 11.5ins by 8ins, are being sold by a private collector. They are expected to sell for £6,000 when they are offered for auction on Friday.

Mr Bradley said: 'We are not aware of any other Tenerife '63 portfolio having been offered at auction, ever.