Sotheby’s, the world’s premier destination for fine art and luxury, today announced its inaugural Popular Culture auction, with bidding opening online from 29th August 2024, accompanied by a dedicated exhibition in the New Bond Street galleries from Monday 9th September.
Following the success of the record-breaking ‘Freddie Mercury: A World of his Own’ auction series at Sotheby’s last year, curated items from the worlds of music and film will go under the hammer in a dedicated online sale taking place over two weeks and closing on 12th September.
Estimated between £150,000 to £200,000 – a Steinway grand piano bought by Abbey Road Studios in 1973 directly from the manufacturer, and resident in Studio 3 where it was played in the recording of tracks by musical icons including Amy Winehouse and Lady Gaga and remained until 2016 before being replaced by a newer model, will be up for auction.
On the iconic piano, Katherine Schofield, Head of Popular Culture, EMEA, Sotheby’s, said:
Following the sale of the famous Abbey Road Mk IV recording console in 2017, a contemporary of this grand piano from Abbey Road, we have seen huge appetite for equipment from these famed studios. It’s fascinating to see how long this Steinway was used in Studio 3 and featured on recordings by a wide range of artists, such as Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, Paul Weller and Amy Winehouse on some of their seminal albums.
Also included is a stage-played and filmed VOX HDC-77 semi-hollow electric guitar used by music legend Prince, estimated between £200,000 and £300,000. The seven-time GRAMMY Award-winning music icon played the ‘blackburst’ VOX extensively throughout his 3RDEYEGIRL era, with performances including his famed Montreux Jazz Festival appearance on 15th July 2013; throughout the duration of his 3RDEYEGIRL HITnRUN Tours of 2014-2015 in the UK, including at iconic London venues such as KOKO and the Electric Ballroom; the United States and Canada and during his final band performance with 3RDEYEGIRL at Washington’s Warner Theatre on 14th June 2015.
The opening of the sale coincides with the reissue of Oasis’ award-winning album ‘Definitely Maybe’ to celebrate 30 years since its release. It was the fastest-ever selling debut in the UK and has sold almost seven million copies worldwide, boasting seminal anthems including ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol’, ‘Supersonic’ and ‘Live Forever’.
Two guitars owned and used by Noel Gallagher in the recording of Definitely Maybe, which also feature on the cover of Oasis’ 1994 debut single ‘Supersonic’ will be included in the auction. Estimated at between £60,000 to £80,000, an Epiphone Les Paul Standard guitar which featured in both the music video and iconic cover artwork of Oasis’ debut single ‘Supersonic’ will be available for bidding alongside a 1980 Gibson Flying V Guitar previously owned by The Smith’s Johnny Marr and used by Noel Gallagher in the recording of Oasis’ 1994 track ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol’, estimated at £20,000 – £30,000. Noel’s stage-played and owned Epiphone EA-250 Guitar, circa 1972-74, also estimated at between £20,000 – £30,000 completes the trio.
The sale also includes an important archive collection from John & Yoko’s ‘Bed-in For Peace’ protest in Amsterdam from March 1969. Estimated between £70,000 and £90,000, the collection includes a handwritten John Lennon letter, detailed handwritten questionnaire, and signed material from the Amsterdam protest. Offering a fascinating insight into the legendary Beatle at a key moment in his solo career, personal life and political mission, the items were obtained by 16-year-old Dutch Beatles fan Constance Vrijdaghs, who interviewed John & Yoko at the Amsterdam Hilton hotel, 26th March 1969. A multi-coloured felt pen drawing by John Lennon on Hotel Continental…Paris-headed stationery, circa 1967, believed to have been created while John was under the influence of L.S.D is also part of the sale with an estimate of £15,000 – 20,000.
Artefacts from the Golden Age of Hollywood through to blockbuster films
A selection of important artefacts from the Golden Age of Hollywood through to blockbuster films will also feature in the auction. Sold on behalf of the Film and Television Charity which marks its centenary this year; highlights include an original pair of red ballet slippers from the 1948 film The Red Shoes, and the rhino-riding gladiator costume as worn in Sir Ridley Scott’s forthcoming sequel, Gladiator II, and memorably seen in the first trailer for the upcoming release.
Donated by EON Productions, producers of the James Bond film franchise, and being sold for charity on behalf of world-leading arts charity BAFTA, are a limited-edition box set of two Omega ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ 50th anniversary Seamaster Diver 300M model watches, estimated at between £40,000 – £60,000.
Bidding opens at sothebys.com at 2:00pm BST on 29th August 2024 and closes on Friday 12th September at 2:00 pm BST
Dedicated exhibition in the New Bond Street galleries from Monday 9th September
