Johnny Marr guitars sell for over $750,000 at London auction

Two prominent guitars belonging to Johnny Marr, the former guitarist of The Smiths, sold for over £560,000 during a Christie’s auction in London.

The 1982 Rickenbacker 330 Jetglo, used during the recording of The Smiths’ debut album and early tours, fetched £358,400. This price was more than four times its initial estimate following a bidding war that lasted over five minutes. The instrument is notable for its role in tracks such as ‘This Charming Man’ and was famously lent to Noel Gallagher for the recording of Oasis’ debut single, ‘Supersonic’.

A 1960 Cherry Red Gibson ES-355 also exceeded expectations, selling for £204,800 against an estimate of £100,000 to £150,000. This guitar was a gift from Sire Records founder Seymour Stein and served as the inspiration for the music of ‘Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now’.

The auction, titled ‘The Johnny Marr Collection’, featured approximately 80 items, including guitars, concert posters, and gold and platinum records, spanning more than four decades of the musician's career.