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.


Harpsichord

Government issues export bar for 18th century harpsichord in hope of finding UK buyer

15 January 2019

The owner of an 18th century double-manual harpsichord, the only one of its type known to exist, has been temporarily prevented from exporting the instrument by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Gardiner Houlgate auctioneer Luke Hobbs

Shout, shout, clear it all out! Tears for Fears sell tour gear to make room

29 November 2018

Specialist musical instrument auction house Gardiner Houlgate is to sell a cache of touring equipment from '80s band Tears for Fears.

Schumann manuscript

Rediscovered Schumann piano masterpiece comes to auction at Bonhams

31 October 2018

Bonhams is to offer an extensive handwritten draft of Robert Schumann’s 1837 piano masterpiece Fantasiestücke Opus 12 – written in the composer’s own hand.

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Five musical options in tune at auctions in the UK and US

15 October 2018

Five auctions coming up featuring lots on a musical theme.

Maurice Gibb

Bidders queue up for a slice of Bowie, the Bee Gees, The Beatles and Rod Stewart at auction this week

13 September 2018

Rod Stewart’s leopard print armchair, David Bowie’s first studio recording and Bee Gee and Beatles guitars have all been snapped up by fans of the rockers this week.

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Gardiner Houlgate auction offers guitars galore including the acoustic that set the Bee Gees on route to stardom

03 September 2018

Gardiner Houlgate in Wiltshire is dubbing its upcoming sale “the UK’s largest-ever auction of guitars”.

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Rare Beatles poster among highlights at Dallas movie sale

23 July 2018

A rare set of four door panel promotional posters for 'Help!', the Beatles’ second film, will form part of a movie poster sale to be held by Heritage Auctions on July 28-29.

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Keyboard instrument collectors tune up and turn up

25 June 2018

Putting a third major collection of highly specialist and highly priced material onto the market within little over three years might seem to be asking too much of a limited number of wealthy enthusiasts.

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Making mechanical music play and pay off at auction

25 June 2018

A sophisticated disc-playing music box brought one of the highest recent prices for mechanical music at Thimbleby & Shorland (12% buyer’s premium) in Reading.

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Mozart and a little lute magic at Sotheby's

11 June 2018

It was a four-page Mozart manuscript of an unfinished Allegro in G for piano and four hands that led the Sotheby’s (25/10/12.9% buyers’ premium) sales of May 22.

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Colt Clavier to be dispersed in Canterbury

07 May 2018

The Colt Clavier collection of historical keyboard instruments will be offered on June 7 in a sale held by Canterbury Auction Galleries in association with London specialist Piano Auctions.

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Dealership devoted to tuneful mechanical items that please ‘the eye, the touch and the ear’

23 April 2018

With more than 35 years’ collecting experience each, Mark Singleton and Steve Greatrex have launched Silvertone Music Boxes, a dealership devoted to mechanical music.

Gramophone

Stolen gramophone discovered in France will be returned to rightful owner

13 April 2018

A stolen gramophone will be returned to its owner next week after an Antiques Trade Gazette article alerted the buyer to the theft.

Beatles

Complete set of Beatles autographs auctioned in the Cotswolds

29 March 2018

A set of Beatles autographs goes under the hammer in the Cotswolds next month.

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Not a golden disc but precious memories for silver dealer Dickenson

19 February 2018

Silver dealer Alastair Dickenson had a blast from the past when he flicked through the pages of ATG recently.

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Hurdy-gurdy, armonica and serpent sales

05 February 2018

An 800-year-old hurdy-gurdy, thought to be the oldest in Europe, features in a collection of 450 musical instruments from a German private museum coming up at auction.

Grand Broadwood

Queen Victoria’s piano rediscovered in Oxfordshire church and is linked to Schumann love affair

11 December 2017

A piano owned by Queen Victoria is on offer at dealership Sherwood Phoenix after being rediscovered in an Oxfordshire church.

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Beatles 'Love Me Do' signed single offered at Boston saleroom

20 November 2017

A Beatles 'Love Me Do' signed single will be auctioned by RR Auction, Boston, in the online-only Marvels of Modern Music Sale running from December 7-14.

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Seen through a poet’s eyes: iconic spectacles worn by WB Yeats sell for 20 times estimate at Fonsie Mealy’s in Ireland

15 November 2017

Spectacles belonging to poet WB Yeats (1865-1939) sold in his native Ireland for €10,000 yesterday (November 14), 20 times their lower estimate, in the second and final auction of the artistic Yeats family’s effects.

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix memorabilia strikes the right chord at auction

27 October 2017

50 years on and Hendrix still rocks – Hansons Auctioneers has sold a note, written on the back of a packet of guitar strings in 1967, for £5700.

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