A collection of guitars belonging to Johnny Marr, guitarist and co-songwriter for The Smiths, went under the hammer at Christie’s, generating £3,649,280 in sales. The auction attracted bidders from 34 countries and lasted more than five hours, exceeding initial valuations by a significant margin.
Among the instruments sold was Marr’s 1982 Rickenbacker 330 Jetglo, which commanded £358,400 following a bidding competition lasting more than five minutes. The guitar featured prominently in The Smiths’ early recordings and tours, appearing on the debut album and songs such as This Charming Man and Still Ill. The same instrument was loaned to Noel Gallagher of Oasis during early sessions for the band’s debut album Definitely Maybe and subsequently appeared on the cover of the single Supersonic. A 1960 Cherry Red Gibson ES-355 also featured in the sale, selling for £204,800. According to Marr, this guitar inspired compositions for The Smiths’ 1984 single Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now, and he received it as a gift from Sire Records founder Seymour Stein in 1983.
Marr expressed satisfaction with the auction results, stating the experience exceeded expectations. The sale coincides with the forthcoming release of his first studio album in four years, The Age Of Everything, scheduled for 2 October. Christie’s specialist Amelia Walker characterized the sale prices as reflective of Marr’s influential role in music history.
Notably, 100 percent of hammer prices from 31 lots, including 10 guitars, were donated to The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and The National Autistic Society. Marr was a founding member of The Smiths, which disbanded in 1987 after releasing four studio albums and establishing itself as a significant force in British indie music.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI