Several guitars put up for sale by Mark Knopfler, the former frontman of British rock group Dire Straits, have fetched more than €10 million at auction yesterday.
The sale was led by Knopfler's 1959 Vintage Gibson Les Paul Standard, which sold for £693,000 (€809,900), setting a new world auction record for the model, as well as the 1983 guitar used to record the band's hit songs 'Money For Nothing' and 'Brothers in Arms', which sold for £592,000 (€691,900) at the Christie's sale in London.
"I am so pleased that these much-loved instruments will find new players and new songs as well as raising money for charities that mean a lot to me," said Knopfler.
"It has been heart-warming to witness how much these guitars mean to so many people and I am also pleased that they will continue to give joy to many through the songs recorded over the years with me.”
The London auction saw registered bidders and buyers from 61 countries.
The final total, including buyer's premium, was confirmed at £8,840,160 (approx. €10,333,000)
Knopfler will donate a quarter of the sales proceeds to various charities, including the British Red Cross, wildlife conservationists Tusk and children's not-for-profit Brave Hearts of the North East.
Knopfler said the collection was the product of his 60-year “love affair” with guitars, but it was time to relinquish “some of these treasured six-string companions.”
“You can be sure I’ll be sad to see them go but we’ve had wonderful times together and I can’t play them all,” he said. ”To you fellow players, enthusiasts and collectors, I wish you many good times with these old friends of mine.”
The instruments were on public display at Christie’s New York showroom during December 2023 and at the auctioneer’s London headquarters in January 2024.
