Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler auctions off 120 of his guitars ©AP Photo/Mario VedderDire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler will promote a set of guitars he considers “outdated associates” at a Christie’s auction in London next year.
The musician whose distinctive finger-picking type has spawned hits for British rockers together with “Sultans of Swing” and “Money for Nothing”, will put 120 guitars and amplifiers on sale in London on January 31.
Estimated promoting costs vary from £300 (€343) for an electric-acoustic mandolin to £500,000 (€572,000) for a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard in a cherry purple sunburst end.
A 1983 Les Paul that Knopfler performed on Dire Straits’ landmark 1985 album “Brothers in Arms” and on stage that year at Live Aid has an estimated worth of £10,000 – £15,000 (€11,000 – €17,000).
1 / 4 of the full sale will go to the British Red Cross and different charities.
Knopfler stated the gathering is the product of his 60-year “love affair” with guitars, however that it was time to abandon “some of these treasured six-string companions.”
“You can rest assured that I will be sad to see them go, but we had some wonderful times together and I can’t play them all,” he stated. “To you fellow players, enthusiasts and collectors, I wish many happy moments with these old friends of mine.”
The devices will probably be on public show at Christie’s New York showroom from 9 to 13 December and on the auctioneer’s London headquarters from 19 to 30 January 2024.
