A Gretsch Synchromatic 160 acoustic guitar used by George Michael in the Faith music video is heading to auction with an estimated value between £60,000 and £120,000. The instrument features a sunburst finish and arrives with a case labeled “Rockabilly Rebel,” referencing the song’s stylistic influences. The guitar is the lead lot in a broader auction comprising items from the estate of Siobhan Bailey, Michael’s former personal assistant who worked for him for over two decades before her death in 2014.
The Bailey collection encompasses 32 items total, including gold and platinum records, tour materials, and promotional merchandise spanning Michael’s career with Wham! and as a solo artist. Notable pieces include private tour itineraries, documentation related to Wham!’s historic 1985 tour of China, and a metal lighthouse statue gifted to Michael by Malaga city council in 1989. The collection also features a promotional box set of Michael’s album Older, never released commercially, and various event invitations received by the artist throughout his career.
The auction will take place on 29 October both online and in person at Sworders in Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, with items displayed at the auction house’s London location from 20-27 October. Separately, Ray-Ban sunglasses worn by Michael during the Faith tour era are scheduled for sale at Music Memorabilia Live in London on 1 and 2 October, with an estimated value of £15,000 to £30,000.
These auctions coincide with increased attention to Michael’s Faith era, including the upcoming release of George Michael: The Faith Tour, a feature film drawing from rediscovered footage of a 1988 Paris concert, scheduled for release on 6 November. The film will be accompanied by a short work featuring previously unpublished photographs and an unheard interview with Michael, along with an 18-track live album of the same title.
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