Dire Straits star Mark Knopfler to auction Brothers In Arms guitars - BBC NEWS

[Love Expresso]

Just a short notice that I ordered the catalogue on Wednesday (!) and it arrived today (!!) that's two days from London to Northern Germany. It's not in my hands but tomorrow morning I will fetch it from my neighbor who isn't at home tonight.

Now that's what I call a good service! No custom problems or anything. DHL I love you! 

LE

[Dutchessy]

Just a short notice that I ordered the catalogue on Wednesday (!) and it arrived today (!!) that's two days from London to Northern Germany. It's not in my hands but tomorrow morning I will fetch it from my neighbor who isn't at home tonight.

Now that's what I call a good service! No custom problems or anything. DHL I love you! 

LE

I am glad it worked out for you my friend!

[Love Expresso]

Thanks. I had some bad experience with custom with used records via eBay so I was sceptical. I am looking forward to read it over the weekend.

LE

[marki]

When it comes to auctions, the investment value takes over (almost) everything.
Gilmour catalogue is way, way (way) more promising in that perspective:
- The guitar which Wish You Were Here was composed on (+ tons of eternity songs)
- The 'first' fender strat
- THE BLACK STRAT and many more

For me Mark was always at #1 (Gilmour at #2, btw), yet Pesna Suhr is poor investment when is comes to 6 (or 7) digit price.
(Trogly (guitar show) who covered the catalogue hasn't even mentioned Pensa Suhr MK1 in particular).
Also the holy grail LP 59 will get the celebrity markup, yet it's nothing compared to Jimmy Page #1 or #2 for example (which I believe will be the most expensive guitar ever sold, if that happens).
The only MK one that could compete (some of) the Gilmour/EC ones is the BIA National.
If Mark had a specific red strat, well known by all (not by fans) - it might have been a different story.
Also Live Aid presence isn't that much of a factor (again for 6-7 digit value)

Nevertheless, as mentioned, the estimated prices are way below, there might be some surprises - both ways.
I think MK LP will top all the rest - by far, and in any case this is a landmark event for all MK fans, without buying any item (beside the catalogue)

[ds1984]

Interesting story and theory  : The #0001 Stratocaster

[Knut]

Just for fun, here are the Google search numbers for DG and MK since 2004, see if you can guess which is which

PS I agree that MK's auction total will be less than DG's. There's quite a lot of stuff in MK's auction that isn't actually that great.

Haha! Now this chart basically tells us that both David and Mark are old socks that belong to a scrape yard rather than fancy auctions, so you might be right. It's like if you're 15 years old, and your friend is 25 years old it feels like the world of difference, but when you're 75 and your friend is 85 you both are just two old farts. David might be more popular than Mark, but in the world of John Mayers, Ed Sheerans and Taylor Swifts they are "pale blue dots".

To be honest, David's auction also had several ordinary instruments, some of which apparently were never even used by David, just owned. Mark's collection seems to be more consistent and used, again, thanks to his career simply being more consistent and prolific. A lot of songs, a lot of guitars, makes sense.

Pretty sure those graphs are normalized according to the peak number, so everything is relative to that. It makes no sense that both would have EXACTLY 100 hits per day at their peak (during this period). So, impossible to compare actual numbers from that info.

[MagicElliott]

Also I had a free double espresso which probably would have cost a tenner in central London!

If they have croissants also, I could save the breakfast in my hotel 

Didn't see croissants, they had chocolate biscuits in a jar but there was a posh looking person who looked like an actual potential buyer in front of me that I would have had to push out of the way to get one so I took my coffee and left

Terribly sorry. Didn’t mean to get in your way.


 

[dmg]

Also I had a free double espresso which probably would have cost a tenner in central London!

If they have croissants also, I could save the breakfast in my hotel 

Didn't see croissants, they had chocolate biscuits in a jar but there was a posh looking person who looked like an actual potential buyer in front of me that I would have had to push out of the way to get one so I took my coffee and left

Terribly sorry. Didn’t mean to get in your way.


 

I had someone in the know so there was cream cakes out for me. 

[highway61revisited]

Regarding the question of estimated selling prices, my view is that the selling price should be about 30% less compared to David Gilmour's guitars for three reasons:

1)The economy in 2019 and the economy in 2024 are not the same.
2)There is no charitable donation receipt for buyers, leading to lesser tax benefits (not to mention the reduced attachment to making charitable purchases).
3)Mark's reduced activity between 2018 and 2024, despite the upcoming release of a new album.
When David sold his guitars, he had just released Live at Pompeii 18 months earlier.
Five years is a significant span, especially for boomers, when considering the gap between Gilmour's guitar sale in 2019 and Knopfler's in 2024.

Moreover, it's important to remember that buyers are not just collectors.
At Gilmour's sale, there were many collectors and charity-minded individuals who knew nothing about guitars.
Just look at the prices achieved for the custom shop Gilmour Stratocasters sold for $100,000 versus the "real" 50s Telecasters...

More specifically, there are three categories of guitars:
Guitars that can exceed $500K-1M and are easily identifiable, like the 2 LPs, the Pensa-Suhr MK1, etc.
Guitars with a story linked to a specific song or documented in photographs: $60,000 to $200,000.
Instruments without a notable history: $30,000 to $60,000.

I was at the private event and am considering acquiring a guitar myself, but I don't expect to find one at a bargain price.
Just recently, Clapton's Crashocaster sold for $120,000 !

Best,
DZ

[ds1984]

Regarding the question of estimated selling prices, my view is that the selling price should be about 30% less compared to David Gilmour's guitars for three reasons:

1)The economy in 2019 and the economy in 2024 are not the same.
2)There is no charitable donation receipt for buyers, leading to lesser tax benefits (not to mention the reduced attachment to making charitable purchases).
3)Mark's reduced activity between 2018 and 2024, despite the upcoming release of a new album.
When David sold his guitars, he had just released Live at Pompeii 18 months earlier.
Five years is a significant span, especially for boomers, when considering the gap between Gilmour's guitar sale in 2019 and Knopfler's in 2024.

Moreover, it's important to remember that buyers are not just collectors.
At Gilmour's sale, there were many collectors and charity-minded individuals who knew nothing about guitars.
Just look at the prices achieved for the custom shop Gilmour Stratocasters sold for $100,000 versus the "real" 50s Telecasters...

More specifically, there are three categories of guitars:
Guitars that can exceed $500K-1M and are easily identifiable, like the 2 LPs, the Pensa-Suhr MK1, etc.
Guitars with a story linked to a specific song or documented in photographs: $60,000 to $200,000.
Instruments without a notable history: $30,000 to $60,000.

I was at the private event and am considering acquiring a guitar myself, but I don't expect to find one at a bargain price.
Just recently, Clapton's Crashocaster sold for $120,000 !

Best,
DZ

And Eric Clapton’s 1964 ‘The Fool’ Gibson SG was sold in 2023 for a record $1.27 million.

[Jules]

Yesterday morning I spent one of the best mornings ever at Christie's...

It's not only that you can see all those guitars but also that you can see them so close so close that you may kiss them if you want or even touch the strings if it wasn't innapropiate, also there are people there that won't let you do that, but they let you to look at them that close or even sign them almost touching them without anyone threatening you to kick your ass... absolutely amazing how close you can see every single detail in every single guitar.

Also I spent an amazing two days in London with my Spanish friends and long time friend from The Netherlands, Mr Jeroen Van Tol, was amazing to finally meet him in person in probably one of the last chances that we would be able to do it more or less directly related with MK. Also we were joined by the great Witek from Poland, quite a nice guy and hugh collector. IN Christie's I saw also old friend Bruno (Tunnel85), always a pleaseure to see again such lovely people.

After a great morning full of emotions, when me and my gang, together with Witek we were getting ready to leave, two of my best friends from Spain made an stelar appearence, the great Direfran, nowadays known as FranWood (he buits the most wonderful guitars you would find personally, one by one) and Oscar Rosende, the founder of that band that Guy and PCM confused with a recording of them during Atarfe gig in 2008, nowadays the leader of a even better band like "Great Straits", I was in cloud number 9 and then arrives the ice on the cake, someone goes towards me and says "Hello Julio"... I looked at him, overexcited by all the great experiences of the morning without being able to recognize him at first sight... I stupidly said to him "Sorry, who are you..?" and then he looks at me and says "Julio, really?" and with the biggest embarrasement I ever experienced I recognized him, someone who last time I saw him was probably 2013, or 2015 (what a bad memory I have...) but we are always in close contact, the mighty Mimmo Carrata!!!! I was so happy and embarrased at the same moment that I can't truly express it but I'm sure he would forgive me, LOL

I would had liked to stay more time but my gand had a flight to catch that evening to we bid goodbyes to everyone, or I hope it was to everyone and left the building so happy and sad at the same time. I don't want that could had been the last time I see so wonderful people, but looks like we would need to find another excuse as Mr Knopfler doesn't seems to provide us more in the future....

Wait, what about the Local Hero Musical? I have a pub experience to live with Dusty, lol !!!!!

Thanks to everyone there for such an amazing day.

[holaknopfler]

Fantastic story Julio, great to read, must have been a great day!!

[Robson]

Thank you for the great report jbaent. Witek from Poland? I think I've heard of him but I don't know him personally

[dmg]

Yesterday morning I spent one of the best mornings ever at Christie's...

It's not only that you can see all those guitars but also that you can see them so close so close that you may kiss them if you want or even touch the strings if it wasn't innapropiate, also there are people there that won't let you do that, but they let you to look at them that close or even sign them almost touching them without anyone threatening you to kick your ass... absolutely amazing how close you can see every single detail in every single guitar.

Also I spent an amazing two days in London with my Spanish friends and long time friend from The Netherlands, Mr Jeroen Van Tol, was amazing to finally meet him in person in probably one of the last chances that we would be able to do it more or less directly related with MK. Also we were joined by the great Witek from Poland, quite a nice guy and hugh collector. IN Christie's I saw also old friend Bruno (Tunnel85), always a pleaseure to see again such lovely people.

After a great morning full of emotions, when me and my gang, together with Witek we were getting ready to leave, two of my best friends from Spain made an stelar appearence, the great Direfran, nowadays known as FranWood (he buits the most wonderful guitars you would find personally, one by one) and Oscar Rosende, the founder of that band that Guy and PCM confused with a recording of them during Atarfe gig in 2008, nowadays the leader of a even better band like "Great Straits", I was in cloud number 9 and then arrives the ice on the cake, someone goes towards me and says "Hello Julio"... I looked at him, overexcited by all the great experiences of the morning without being able to recognize him at first sight... I stupidly said to him "Sorry, who are you..?" and then he looks at me and says "Julio, really?" and with the biggest embarrasement I ever experienced I recognized him, someone who last time I saw him was probably 2013, or 2015 (what a bad memory I have...) but we are always in close contact, the mighty Mimmo Carrata!!!! I was so happy and embarrased at the same moment that I can't truly express it but I'm sure he would forgive me, LOL

I would had liked to stay more time but my gand had a flight to catch that evening to we bid goodbyes to everyone, or I hope it was to everyone and left the building so happy and sad at the same time. I don't want that could had been the last time I see so wonderful people, but looks like we would need to find another excuse as Mr Knopfler doesn't seems to provide us more in the future....

Wait, what about the Local Hero Musical? I have a pub experience to live with Dusty, lol !!!!!

Thanks to everyone there for such an amazing day.

Good to hear you had a nice time JBaent.  Always lovely to meet up with old pals again.  We all miss that. 😟

[dustyvalentino]

Great stuff Julio. I’ve quit the booze but will start again for you