The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr is preparing to sell a substantial collection of instruments through Christie’s, with the sale scheduled for 17 September. The auction encompasses approximately 80 guitars along with amplifiers, recordings, posters, and other memorabilia accumulated throughout his career.
Marr explained that he decided to divest from the collection because he preferred not to see his studio transform into a museum. Among the notable pieces is a black 1982 Rickenbacker 330 Jetglo that featured prominently in Oasis history. Noel Gallagher borrowed the instrument for the cover photograph of Oasis’ debut single Supersonic in 1994, and it was later used on The Smiths’ recordings including This Charming Man and What Difference Does It Make. Gallagher recounted his concern about the instrument’s safety, joking that he worried about someone damaging such a significant guitar while it sat on the studio floor.
Other highlights in the collection include a 1960 Cherry Red Gibson ES-355 that music executive Seymour Stein gifted to Marr as an incentive for The Smiths to sign with Sire Records, a green burst Telecaster from 1984 that appeared on BBC television performances, and a Martin D-28 12-string acoustic used to write and record several Smiths classics. Additional items span Marr’s solo career, including a custom Fender Jaguar used on the Billie Eilish Bond theme recording.
Estimates for individual items range from £1,000 to £150,000. Marr has committed to donating proceeds from 31 lots to The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and The National Autistic Society. The collection is currently on display in London ahead of the Christie’s sale.
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