Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler will be selling over 100 of his instruments at an auction in the new year.
Overall, the guitarist will be auctioning off 120 instruments at Christies, which have been used across his 50 year career in the music business.
Such items include the famous 1983 Gibson Les Paul, which was used to record hits including ‘Brothers In Arms’, and ‘Money For Nothing’. The guitar was also played at the iconic Live Aid concert in 1985.
Other instruments going up for auction also include a mandolin previously owned by blues player Yank Rachell, estimated at £300 to £500, and Knopfler’s coveted 1959 Gibson Les Paul, for an estimated £300,000 to £500,000.
#MarkKnopfler is parting with more than 120 guitars from his collection, including the Les Paul on which he recorded and played 'Money For Nothing' with #DireStraits at Live Aid: https://t.co/51P0Bo1q0L @MarkKnopfler @direstraitshq pic.twitter.com/bakZaqk138
— Christie's (@ChristiesInc) November 21, 2023
“great times together”
Speaking ahead of this auction, Mark Knopfler claimed that over time, he has learned to be at peace when it comes to downsizing his fender collection.
“I’m looking now at about 20 guitars that I use to make records and there are at least 100 other ones that aren’t going to get played,” Knopfler said.
“We’ve had great times together, so I am sad to see some of them go – but I’ve got enough left to play. More than enough”.
Dire Straits were formed in 1977, with brothers Mark & David Knopfler, bassist John Illsley, and drummer Pick Withers as founding members.
The band released several hugely successful albums, including their debut release in 1978. That album included classic rock hits such as ‘Sultan of Swing’.
Dire Straits’ 1985 LP, ‘Brothers In Arms’ became the UK’s eight best-selling album of all time.
Having reunited to release one album ‘On Every Street’ in 1991, the band permanently split in 1995.
Selling over 100 million albums worldwide, the band were also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.
Last August, Dire Straits were left in mourning by the shock death of guitarist Jack Sonni aged 68. The band confirmed this news via social media.
More on this story from Nova here.
