Musical Instruments & Memorabilia
The craftsmanship involved in the most prized musical instruments affects the quality of sound they produce as well as their appearance. For example, string instruments made by the Italian Stradivari family – and particularly Antonio Stradivari – in the 17th and 18th centuries are said to produce a sound that has never been replicated even in similar designs.
Those instruments created by Antonio during his ‘golden period’ (1700-1720) command particularly strong prices. More recent instruments, such as electric guitars played by pop music giants of the 20th century also pull in large prices – such as Jimi Hendrix’s Woodstock Stratocaster, which was bought for a Seattle museum for $2m.
![27.8.24 Webpv Would You Believe LP](/media/106661/27824-webpv-would-you-believe-lp.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133692434050000000)
Would you believe it? Rare Billy Nicholls LP appears at auction
27 August 2024'Would You Believe' was geared up to be Britain’s response to 'Pet Sounds' by The Beach Boys but was instead shelved
![John Lennon rounded spectacles](/media/105513/22724-webpv-john-lennon-glasses-1.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133675125700000000)
John Lennon's blue-tinted glasses bought by Uri Geller at Catherine Southon auction
07 August 2024The glasses will now be displayed in the Uri Geller Museum in Tel Aviv
![19.07.24 Webpv Rory Gallagher Guitar](/media/105314/190724-webpv-rory-gallagher-guitar.jpg?rxy=0.455,0.728&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133658586460000000)
Rory Gallagher’s 1961 Fender Stratocaster comes to Bonhams
23 July 2024The Irish musician’s guitar collection, including his famous Fender Stratocaster, will appear at Bonhams in October
![John Lennon rounded spectacles](/media/105513/22724-webpv-john-lennon-glasses-1.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133675125700000000)
Pair of John Lennon’s round glasses to go to auction
22 July 2024The glasses were given to the vendor as a birthday gift in 1968 and will be sold by Catherine Southon Auctioneers
![Sex Pistols God Save The Queen 2653NEDI 12 07 2024](/media/105078/sex-pistols-god-save-the-queen-2653nedi-12-07-2024.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133652633220000000)
‘Holy grail’ Sex Pistols single makes record
12 July 2024Rare copy of the most censored record in British history sells at Wiltshire auction
![Eric Clapton guitar](/media/103224/2644-webpv-16-05-24-eric-clapton-guitar.jpg?rxy=0.49806949806949807,0.67801857585139313&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133628346490000000)
Guitars used for 1970s classics a hit at auction
14 June 2024Eric Clapton’s 'Wonderful Tonight' and Ian Bairnson’s 'Wuthering Heights' guitars sell at separate sales
![John Lennon guitar](/media/103664/john-lennon-guitar-webpv-30-05-24.jpg?rxy=0.48398576512455516,0.48186528497409326&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133615488900000000)
John Lennon’s lost Help! guitar sets auction record
31 May 2024Guitar belonging to the Beatle was rediscovered in an attic after 50 years
![img_15-7.jpg](/media/103494/img_15-7.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133612797680000000)
Classic turntables on the right track at Olympia Auctions
27 May 2024Two classic 1970s record turntables have been consigned to the 20th Century Design sale at Olympia Auctions on September 20.
![img_36-4.jpg](/media/103569/img_36-4.jpg?rxy=0.4671280276816609,0.3378076062639821&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133612852220000000)
Dealers' news in brief including launch of a dealer platform and a new BADA member
27 May 2024In dealer news this week, a Kings Road trader retires, a London dealer launches a new platform and a Leeds firm joins BADA
![img_42-4.jpg](/media/103592/img_42-4.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133611062810000000)
Spectacular Steinway grand piano goes under the hammer at Nadeau's
27 May 2024A spectacular 19th century Steinway concert grand piano sold for $80,000 (£64,000) at Nadeau’s (23% buyer’s premium).
![Webpv Ian Bairnson Guitar 24 05 24](/media/103453/webpv-ian-bairnson-guitar-24-05-24.jpg?rxy=0.51293103448275867,0.574468085106383&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133610279290000000)
Ian Bairnson’s Wuthering Heights guitar appears at Wiltshire auction
24 May 2024Ian Bairnson’s guitar featured in Kate Bush’s debut 1978 hit 'Wuthering Heights' is being offered at Gardiner Houlgate in Wiltshire.
![Eric Clapton guitar](/media/103224/2644-webpv-16-05-24-eric-clapton-guitar.jpg?rxy=0.49806949806949807,0.67801857585139313&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133628346490000000)
Eric Clapton’s Wonderful Tonight guitar set to rock auction
16 May 2024The guitar on which Clapton wrote 'Wonderful Tonight' carries an estimate of £300,000-400,000
![John Lennon guitar](/media/102436/2641nedi-john-lennon-framus-12-string-guitar-and-case.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133583645410000000)
Long-lost John Lennon guitar recovered from an attic comes to auction
23 April 2024John Lennon’s long-lost Framus 12-string Hootenanny acoustic guitar has been rediscovered and is coming to auction next month.
![img_17-5.jpg](/media/102064/img_17-5.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133576462290000000)
Wurlitzer organ on a whirl in Staffordshire saleroom
15 April 2024Around 28 American-built Wurlitzers were originally transported to Britain from 1925 until just before the Second World War.
![img_16-6.jpg](/media/102057/img_16-6.jpg?rxy=0.47076023391812866,0.13274336283185842&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133576493970000000)
Rock on with a jukebox purchase
15 April 2024Perfect to impress your friends and family – or annoy them – many vintage jukeboxes can be bought at auction for three or four figures depending on age, model and condition.
![Johann Sebastian Bach manuscript](/media/101126/johann-sebastian-bach-manuscript-2635nedi-15-03-2024.jpg?rxy=0.4785276073619632,0.10106382978723404&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133548163010000000)
‘A testament to elegance’: Bach manuscript goes to Bodleian in lieu of inheritance tax
15 March 2024A rare autograph manuscript by composer Johann Sebastian Bach has been acquired by the University of Oxford’s Bodleian Libraries.
![img_18-3.jpg](/media/100973/img_18-3.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133546361790000000)
Album helped Rolling Stones to go on tour, not fade away
11 March 2024In 1969 the Rolling Stones were ready to go touring again after a gap of more than two years. Featuring a new guitarist, the 17-date tour in the US began on November 7.
![Vintage Gibson Les Paul Standard](/media/99743/lot-42.jpg?rxy=0.49333333333333335,0.711340206185567&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133512771610000000)
Mark Knopfler guitar auction makes more than £7m at Christie’s
01 February 2024A six-hour sale of 122 lots from the collection of singer-songwriter and Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler took £7.01m (or £8.84m including buyer’s premium).
![Gibson guitar](/media/99542/christies-guitar-knopfler.png?rxy=0.4642857142857143,0.66046511627906979&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133507377330000000)
Mark Knopfler's Gibson guitar and pair of torchère figures are among five lots to watch
29 January 2024With estimates from £200, here are five previews of items coming up at auction this week.
![img_24-1.jpg](/media/99430/img_24-1.jpg?rxy=0.49910233393177739,0.75358166189111753&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133503940750000000)
Signed Fab Four photos are big hits with bidders
22 January 2024A c.1964 publicity photograph signed by all four members of The Beatles sold for £13,000 at Bristol auction house Auctioneum (21% buyer’s premium).
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