A range of iconic music memorabilia is heading to the auction block in London this week, as companies and collectors gear up to bid on items linked to historic rock icons. The auction, run by auction house Propstore, will feature more than 550 lots over a two-day music sale on Thursday and Friday.
At the centre of the sale is a major collection of items connected to Oasis, the British rock band famed for its brothers-led songwriting and chart-topping albums. Over 150 lots associated with the band are included. Among the highlights is a 1960 red Gibson ES-355 guitar belonging to Noel Gallagher, the band’s lead songwriter. According to the auction house, when the brothers were performing at a Paris festival in 2009, Noel smashed this very guitar during a dispute with his brother Liam Gallagher, shortly before Noel left the band. That guitar, now repaired, carries an estimate of between £250,000 and £500,000.
In addition to that, other Oasis items include Noel Gallagher’s Takamine acoustic guitar used to record one of the band’s signature songs and handwritten lyrics for every song on the band’s seven studio albums. The auction house described this collection as the largest Oasis-related group of music memorabilia ever offered on the open market, with expectations of strong demand.
But the sale doesn’t stop with Oasis. Also up for bidding are artefacts tied to John Lennon and Jimi Hendrix. One of the standout items is John Lennon’s tinted prescription glasses, worn during his 1973-74 “lost weekend” period when he had a relationship with May Pang. These glasses are estimated at £150,000–£300,000. Meanwhile, Jimi Hendrix’s handwritten lyrics for his song “Straight Ahead” are also part of the lot list.
Mark Hochman, music memorabilia specialist at Propstore, said the breadth of the Oasis collection is unprecedented. “It’s the biggest Oasis collection of music memorabilia to ever come to market anywhere in the world. And that’s over £1 million.” The auction house also pointed out that there are items across a wide price spectrum; some photographs start at around £300, while smaller memorabilia begin at about £200 for Oasis-related items.
Overall, the auction is expected to raise more than £3 million (roughly US$4.03 million) from the sale. For music fans, collectors and investors alike, this event offers a rare opportunity to own pieces of rock history tied to some of the most influential figures in popular music.
For those bidding, it might be wise to carefully research provenance, condition and historical significance. Items linked to bands with strong fan-bases, like Oasis, often attract competitive bids, and condition or back-story (such as the guitar smashed during the breakup of the band) can help drive value. Interested bidders should register ahead, inspect items where possible, and set agreeable limits as the emotional pull of owning a piece of music history can sometimes outpace rational budgeting.
This week’s auction by Propstore brings together memorabilia from three major names in rock Oasis, John Lennon and Jimi Hendrix offering both nostalgia and investment potential in equal measure.
