Definitely, Maybe a Record
A Freddie Mercury notebook with handwritten lyrics and a Michael Jackson jacket also drew big bucks at the first day of Propstore’s Music Live Auction
The acoustic guitar Noel Gallagher played during Oasis‘ 1996 MTV Unplugged performance has fetched a hefty sum of $299,376 including buyer’s premium yesterday. According to a press release, it “set a world record for the highest price achieved at auction for an Oasis acoustic guitar.” (Back in 2022, Noel’s red Gibson ES-355, which was broken backstage in he and his brother Liam’s then final blowout fight that broke up Oasis in 2009, sold for about $405,000.)
While that guitar sold without a hitch, a separate auction has been blocked by Oasis. Earlier in the week, the band filed a legal motion to block the sale of live recordings from the Nineties, which were originally set to be auctioned this weekend.
The acoustic guitar that sold on Thursday was part of the first day of Propstore’s live music auction dubbed Spring Music Memorabilia Live Auction. Though Gallagher’s notable axe nabbed a high sum, it wasn’t the biggest seller at Day One of the auction. That honor belongs to a notebook containing Freddie Mercury’s handwritten lyrics and notes from when the Queen singer was working on his debut solo album, Mr. Bad Guy. The notebook nabbed $365,904 with buyer’s premium. It was part of The Reinhold Mack Collection, which includes other memorabilia the producer had from his friendship and creative partnership with Mercury. The total for the collection has already reached $980,415, with 43 lots sold and 41 lots remaining from today’s auction.
Propstore Auctions
Another item that drew high dollars on the auction’s first day is a black-and-gold military-style jacket that Michael Jackson wore during several public appearances around 1991’s Dangerous and 1995’s HIStory: Past, Present and Future. The jacket, part of The Omer Bhatti Collection (the Norwegian rapper and dancer was gifted the jacket from Jackson), sold for $299,374 including buyer’s premium.
“Setting a world record with Noel Gallagher’s MTV Unplugged guitar is a fantastic result for Propstore and a testament to the lasting connection fans have with Oasis,” said Mark Hochman, Propstore’s music specialist, in a statement Thursday. “Freddie Mercury’s handwritten notebook offers an extraordinary glimpse into his songwriting, and seeing it fetch the day’s highest price was another highlight. From the Reinhold Mack archive to Michael Jackson’s iconic jackets, these results show how much collectors value pieces with a personal connection to the artists and their music.”
The second day of Propstore’s Spring Music Memorabilia Auction is currently underway.
