A guitar used by Noel Gallagher in the lead-up to the final recording of Oasis’ debut album Definitely Maybe has sold at auction for more than £130,000.
The Epiphone Les Paul standard electric guitar, which had a sales estimate of £60,000 to £80,000, went under the hammer during Sotheby’s inaugural popular culture sale.
The final sale price soared to £132,000, which is over €156,000, following the Gallagher brothers announcing they are finally reuniting for a 2025 tour following their acrimonious split in 2009.
An Epiphone Les Paul Standard Electric Guitar, Owned & Used By Noel Gallagher (Sotheby’s/PA)
Prior to the final recording of 1994’s Definitely Maybe at Sawmills Studio, the guitar was owned and used by Gallagher in sessions at Out Of The Blue Studios in Manchester and Monnow Valley Studios in Wales.
It also featured in the music video and on the cover artwork for Oasis’ debut single Supersonic, as well as being played at a number of early live performances including at the Boardwalk in Manchester, Gleneagles in Scotland and Water Rats in London.
Two more guitars used by Gallagher also sold for high price tags, with his Epiphone EA-250 electric guitar selling at £48,000, far above its £20,000 to £30,000 estimate.
A 1980 Gibson Flying V Guitar, previously owned by The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr and used by Gallagher in the recording of Oasis’s 1994 track Cigarettes and Alcohol, sold for £36,000.
An Epiphone EA-250 electric guitar used by Noel Gallagher was among the high selling items (Sotheby’s/PA)
Other high value lots included a Steinway grand piano that was housed at Abbey Road Studios, which sold for £192,000.
The piano resided at the world-famous studio between 1973 to 2016, where it was used by some of music’s biggest artists including Paul McCartney, Radiohead, Kate Bush, Foo Fighters, Amy Winehouse, Florence and the Machine, Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett.
A selection of items relating to Freddie Mercury also proved popular, with a Jean-Paul Gaultier studded black leather jacket worn by the late singer at The Dominion Theatre in London in 1988 selling for £72,000.
A Steinway grand piano housed at Abbey Road Studios was among the lot (Sotheby’s/PA)
Four autographed promotional photographs taken around 1980 and signed by rock band Queen sold for £22,800, while a rare blue vinyl pressing of the 1978 anthem Bohemian Rhapsody / I’m In Love With My Car sold for £18,000.
Head of popular culture at Sotheby’s, Katherine Schofield, said: “It has been brilliant to offer these important Oasis guitars from the beginning of the Brit Pop era in our inaugural Pop Culture sale at Sotheby’s.
“It’s a fitting tribute to celebrate, not only the 30th Anniversary of Definitely Maybe, but also the recent announcement of the long-awaited Oasis reunion.
She continued: “It was thrilling to see such strong and competitive bidding for these culturally significant guitars, previously used by Noel Gallagher.
“Together with the sale of a Steinway Piano from Abbey Road Studios and items from Marianne Faithfull’s collection, the auction engaged new and existing clients and we have welcomed many enthusiasts, buyers and collectors to view our curated exhibition in advance of the auction.”