Knopflers Auction Guitar list 31 jan

trevA · February 1

Haych said:

I wonder how many of the buyers are facepalming themselves and having buyers remorse at bidding on obscure stuff just because of its provenance?

Some of the big ticket lots are probably going to be dinner party kudos fodder. "Oh, the guitar in the case by the bookcase, yes, well that's the actual Money for Nothing guitar, you know.........".

I agree. The £320k (+30%) signed gold top was always going to be an ornament so probably should expect many of the others to be much the same.

rockmonster · February 1

And back in the real world cancer hospices are closing due to a lack of funding from the NHS! Makes you wonder………..

CavemanGrogg · February 1

rockmonster said:

And back in the real world cancer hospices are closing due to a lack of funding from the NHS! Makes you wonder………..

Seriously? What the fuck does that have to do with a private citizen, granted a famous one, selling off his guitar collection? Or are you suggesting it is somehow Mark Knopflers fault, or that it's Mark Knopfler's responsibility to solve and fund, and by himself no less?

Just out of curiosity, whenever you sell an unwanted guitar do you give all the money from selling the unwanted guitar to cancer hospices or the NHS, instead of putting it towards another guitar, something else, or simply saving the money, and if you don't give all the money you get from selling a guitar to cancer hospices, or the NHS, why don't you?

I take it that you're sitting by your phone, just waiting for Knopfler and his people to get in touch with you, so that you can dictate to them what he can, and will do, with the money from the sale of his guitar collection.

chris78 · February 1

rockmonster said:

And back in the real world cancer hospices are closing due to a lack of funding from the NHS! Makes you wonder………..

And charities have benefitted from a big windfall from this sale, so isn’t that a good thing?

Squareheadedfreak · February 1

chris78 said:

rockmonster said:

And back in the real world cancer hospices are closing due to a lack of funding from the NHS! Makes you wonder………..

And charities have benefitted from a big windfall from this sale, so isn’t that a good thing?

No point arguing with people who have a chip on their shoulder over what others can afford...

I for one can't wait for Christies 2060 auction of Machine Gun Kellys collection, heard he's keeping his original Hello Kitty guitar safe that he learned on as a child in readiness for it.

Warblington · February 1

chris78 said:

rockmonster said:

And back in the real world cancer hospices are closing due to a lack of funding from the NHS! Makes you wonder………..

And charities have benefitted from a big windfall from this sale, so isn’t that a good thing?

Yes they did. MK pitched in with 25% and Christie’s donated £50k to each of his 4 chosen charities. A very good thing indeed.

Yorkie · February 1

Hmmm… aggressive messages for breakfast… pass.

guitars4you · February 1

Slightly confused about the perpetual message 'silly price' etc

They were initially purchased by MK as a guitar - Or indeed a tool to do a job - They ceased to become a guitar when they were offered for sale as ex MK and all the related stories that go with it - And on that basis I know nothing about such memorabilia - Be it Kylie's pants, Madonna's bra or Jacko's gloves - It is a market place I know nothing about and have zero interest in

The prices are silly, if indeed they are still a guitar, as you can generally buy an equivalent model for less - But for now and and forever more, with the relevant provenance, they are pieces of memorabilia - I dare say many will barely ever get played again

Not saying this as a complaint, moan or anything like that - As I said I know bugger all about this market and have zero interest in gathering any info about it

trevA · February 1

They were initially purchased by MK as a guitar - Or indeed a tool to do a job - They ceased to become a guitar when they were offered for sale as ex MK and all the related stories that go with it - And on that basis I know nothing about such memorabilia - Be it Kylie's pants, Madonna's bra or Jacko's gloves - It is a market place I know nothing about and have zero interest in

Must have missed Kylie's auction. Would have been worth a sniff.

Litterick · February 1

Message from the man: "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. 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. To you fellow players, enthusiasts and collectors, I wish you all good things."

Voxman · February 1

Warblington said:

chris78 said:

rockmonster said:

And back in the real world cancer hospices are closing due to a lack of funding from the NHS! Makes you wonder………..

And charities have benefitted from a big windfall from this sale, so isn’t that a good thing?

Yes they did. MK pitched in with 25% and Christie’s donated £50k to each of his 4 chosen charities. A very good thing indeed.

That's great to hear that Christie's are making donations too!

Warblington · February 1

Voxman said:

Warblington said:

chris78 said:

rockmonster said:

And back in the real world cancer hospices are closing due to a lack of funding from the NHS! Makes you wonder………..

And charities have benefitted from a big windfall from this sale, so isn’t that a good thing?

Yes they did. MK pitched in with 25% and Christie’s donated £50k to each of his 4 chosen charities. A very good thing indeed.

That's great to hear that Christie's are making donations too!

Yes, the CEO announced it as he was introducing the second auctioneer. It was a welcomed announcement.

Haych · February 1

Warblington said:

Voxman said:

Warblington said:

chris78 said:

rockmonster said:

And back in the real world cancer hospices are closing due to a lack of funding from the NHS! Makes you wonder………..

And charities have benefitted from a big windfall from this sale, so isn’t that a good thing?

Yes they did. MK pitched in with 25% and Christie’s donated £50k to each of his 4 chosen charities. A very good thing indeed.

That's great to hear that Christie's are making donations too!

Yes, the CEO announced it as he was introducing the second auctioneer. It was a welcomed announcement.

Do you think they were already going to donate that sum to the charities who benefitted from the sale, or, is that a gesture to take the heat off for the absolute balls up in the first two hours of the auction?

I would have thought if they already intended to donate that they would have stated that clearly and well ahead of the sale. I didn't see anything to state such, but then I wasn't looking - but then still, I would expect to have to.

Maybe I'm just being cynical.

Warblington · February 1

Haych said:

Warblington said:

Voxman said:

Warblington said:

chris78 said:

rockmonster said:

And back in the real world cancer hospices are closing due to a lack of funding from the NHS! Makes you wonder………..

And charities have benefitted from a big windfall from this sale, so isn’t that a good thing?

Yes they did. MK pitched in with 25% and Christie’s donated £50k to each of his 4 chosen charities. A very good thing indeed.

That's great to hear that Christie's are making donations too!

Yes, the CEO announced it as he was introducing the second auctioneer. It was a welcomed announcement.

Do you think they were already going to donate that sum to the charities who benefitted from the sale, or, is that a gesture to take the heat off for the absolute balls up in the first two hours of the auction?

I would have thought if they already intended to donate that they would have stated that clearly and well ahead of the sale. I didn't see anything to state such, but then I wasn't looking - but then still, I would expect to have to.

Maybe I'm just being cynical.

I remember thinking at the time that the amount (4x £50k) was only announced after the big lots had gone .If the guitars had only reached their estimates they’d have been in trouble.I was certainly being cynical. The CEO looked stressed out and I think it was a bit of a damage limitation job to their reputation.It was always going to be a mega auction with huge worldwide interest and up to that point they looked , rightly or wrongly, unprepared .

Voxman · February 1

I think they made so much money at their 26% premium c £1.8m, that they were probably embarrassed into it. People were just bidding crazy amounts and Christies never expected those prices... I mean when a Watkins Rapier 33 goes for £32k hammer price the world has gone stark staring mad even if MK owned it.

But either way, it's good news for the charities.

Pabcrane · February 2

I found the auction strangely captivating to watch, not having any personal interest in the proceedings.

One thing I did find odd in the catalogue though was the main blond Rudy/Suhr had a wang-bar attached in the photographs, yet in the description essay Mark's tech Mr Eve stated that the Floyd was screwed down into the guitar effectively making it a fixed bridge.

As far as prices go, I don't think one can compare them to other guitars - as said earlier they're now memorabilia instead of of simply instruments.

rlw · February 2

Pabcrane said:

I found the auction strangely captivating to watch, not having any personal interest in the proceedings.

Me too. It seemed surreal, sitting at my desk in York watching the auction in a faraway place, and feeling as if I was in the room.

And the redhead made it all worthwhile. I thought she was brilliant and the rapport she had with the bidders was quite something.

Keiko · February 2

Warblington said:

Voxman said:

Warblington said:

chris78 said:

rockmonster said:

And back in the real world cancer hospices are closing due to a lack of funding from the NHS! Makes you wonder………..

And charities have benefitted from a big windfall from this sale, so isn’t that a good thing?

Yes they did. MK pitched in with 25% and Christie’s donated £50k to each of his 4 chosen charities. A very good thing indeed.

That's great to hear that Christie's are making donations too!

Yes, the CEO announced it as he was introducing the second auctioneer. It was a welcomed announcement.

and lets not forget that when Essex Recording Studios puts these guitars on Ebay for 5 times the price he bought them from Christies, he will also be helping out poor musicians.

Voxman · February 2

Now that the auctions over I think it's OK to post this pic my wife took when we went to Christie's when they very kindly let me (very carefully of course) sit with & strum the Mk1 Pensa Suhr for a few minutes. It went for over 10 x my budget but at least I had a wonderful moment - of course I just had to play some Sultans on it, didn't I!

And my wife was really supportive - she liked the red Strats and hoped I could get one - but sadly even the stock MK signature Strats went for crazy money too. She thought the '59 looked just like my LP Custom....aw, bless her!

Image: https://i.postimg.cc/k5QpV2hC/IMG-20240126-WA0021.jpg

Image: https://i.postimg.cc/MHFPkVX7/20240126-125820.jpg

CaseOfAce · February 2

Voxman said:

Now that the auctions over I think it's OK to post this pic my wife took when we went to Christie's when they very kindly let me (very carefully of course) sit with & strum the Mk1 Pensa Suhr for a few minutes. It went for over 10 x my budget but at least I had a wonderful moment - of course I just had to play some Sultans on it, didn't I!

And my wife was really supportive - she liked the red Strats and hoped I could get one - but sadly even the stock MK signature Strats went for crazy money too. She thought the '59 looked just like my LP Custom....aw, bless her!

What was it like Voxman? I know you mentioned the action being on high side (though I'm assuming not cheese grater) but was it light, resonant. Did you pick it up and immediately think ..wow best instrument I've ever played or was it more a case of oh this is nice but I prefer my Fender sorta thing?
I can sort of figure it would be a lot like other Suhr's I've played but I'm curious what the difference would be here...

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Knopflers Auction Guitar list 31 jan

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