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Johnny Marr's guitar collection auction lasted over five hours and raised £3,649,280, more than three times its estimated value. Buyers from 34 countries participated, with notable items like Marr’s 1982 Rickenbacker 330 Jetglo fetching £358,400 and his 1960 Cherry Red Gibson ES-355 selling for £204,800. The auction also benefited charities such as Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and The National Autistic Society.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Johnny Marr, former guitarist of The Smiths, recently auctioned off two of his guitars at Christie’s in London for over £3.6 million, more than three times their estimated value. The sale included his 1982 Rickenbacker 330 Jetglo and a 1960 Cherry Red Gibson ES-355. The Rickenbacker, used extensively during The Smiths' debut album recording sessions and early tours, sold for £358,400 after a five-minute bidding war. This guitar was famously lent to Noel Gallagher of Oasis during the band's formative years. The Cherry Red Gibson ES-355 inspired Marr’s composition for "Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now" and its B-side, selling for £204,800. Both guitars were originally gifted by Sire Records founder Seymour Stein in the 1980s after a playful bet with Marr. Christie’s specialist Amelia Walker praised the sale as reflecting Marr's musical influence, making it a landmark auction.
Written for “Johnny Marr Guitar Auction” on 2026-09-18,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
The sale lasted for more than five hours and included buyers from 34 countries, fetching £3,649,280, which is more than three times its estimated value.
asserted
which → last → 3,649,280
Marr said: “The auction has been a great experience and has exceeded all my expectations.
asserted
auction → say → expectations
“I’d like to thank everyone who made bids and special thanks to Christie’s for making it so memorable.”
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it → like → Christie
Among the items that went under the hammer was Marr’s 1982 Rickenbacker 330 Jetglo, which was used on The Smiths’ debut album and early tours.
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which → go → album
The guitar – which can be heard on the tracks What Difference Does It Make?, This Charming Man, Still Ill, and Accept Yourself – sold for well above its pre-sale estimate, fetching £358,400.
asserted
It → hear → 358,400
The auction also included his 1960 Cherry Red Gibson ES-355, which inspired Marr to write the music for The Smiths’ 1984 single Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now and its B-side Girl Afraid, up for sale.
asserted
I → include → sale
It sold for £204,800, well over its estimated price, which ranged from £100,000 to £150,000.
asserted
which → sell → 150,000
The guitar was purchased for him in the 1980s by Sire Records founder Seymour Stein after Marr joked The Smiths would sign to the label if Stein bought him a new guitar.
asserted
Stein → purchase → guitar
The Fender Johnny Marr Signature Jaguar Comet Sparkle sold for more than triple its estimated value, fetching £46,080 after a heated bidding war lasted almost five minutes.
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war → sell → 46,080
The instrument was used to record the James Bond theme for Hans Zimmer’s soundtrack for the 2021 film No Time To Die, and Marr took the guitar onstage at the Brit Awards a year earlier to perform the title song with pop star Billie Eilish.
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Marr → use → Eilish
The sale also saw 100% of the hammer price of 31 lots, which included 10 guitars, donated to two charities: The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and The National Autistic Society.
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which → see → Blind
The sale also included amplifiers, many gold and silver records achieved throughout Marr’s decades-long career, The Smiths posters and memorabilia, and a collection of harmonicas belonging to the rocker.
asserted
sale → include → rocker
Amelia Walker, Christie’s specialist head of private and iconic collections, London, said: “We are thrilled to have been able to partner with Johnny Marr for this landmark auction, the results of which reflect his groundbreaking and unparalleled musical influence.
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results → say → influence
“It has been an absolute honour to work with him and to share these amazing instruments and their stories with so many fans, collectors and fellow musicians around the world.
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It → work → world
“We are also delighted to have been able to support Johnny in raising valuable funds for his chosen charities.”
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We → support → charities
The band released four critically acclaimed studio albums – The Smiths (1984), Meat Is Murder (1985), The Queen Is Dead (1986), and Strangeways, Here We Come (1987) – before breaking up in 1987.
asserted
We → release → 1987
They achieved three UK top 10 singles and were best known for songs such as How Soon Is Now?, This Charming Man and There Is A Light That Never Goes Out.
asserted
That → achieve → Is
Marr launched his solo career with his 2013 album The Messenger, with all of his solo albums charting in the UK top 10.
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all → launch → UK
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