A selection of guitars owned by English guitarist Johnny Marr has sold at auction for nearly £4 million.
One of the instruments in the lot was played on The Smiths' self-titled debut album and was also pictured on the cover of Oasis's debut single, linking the sale to two landmark moments in British rock history.
Marr, who rose to prominence as the guitarist and co-songwriter for The Smiths in the 1980s, has been widely cited as an influential figure in alternative and indie rock. The provenance of the instruments — including their use on record and their appearance in iconic imagery — was central to their appeal to collectors.
The result highlights the strong market for music memorabilia, where items associated with seminal recordings and prominent artists can command high prices. The sale will be seen as another example of how artefacts from popular music history continue to attract significant interest from collectors and fans alike.