Rory Gallagher’s Fender Stratocaster guitar will go on display at the National Museum at Collins Barracks from October 16. It was bought at Bonhams two years ago for over €1 million by Live Nation Gaiety Ltd who donated it to the National Museum of Ireland. Gallagher bought his guitar for £100 at Crowley’s music store in Cork, in 1963.
‘The Changing Ireland Galleries’ are opening following a full refurbishment of an area in Collins Barracks, Dublin, that had been untouched since the departure of the Defence Forces almost 30 years ago. The guitar is one of more than 250 objects to go on display as part of an expansion to feature hundreds of political, social and cultural objects from the 20th and 21st century collections. Most will be shown for the first time.
(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for October 17, 2024)
RORY GALLAGHER’S 1961 FENDER STRATOCASTER SOLD FOR £700,000
After just seven bids Rory Gallagher’s legendary 1961 Fender Stratocaster electric guitar sold for £700,000 (£889,400 with fees) at Bonhams in London this afternoon. Estimated at £700,000-£1 million it was secured by the National Museum of Ireland and is coming home. It was bought by Live Nation Gaiety Ltd with a view to donation to the National Museum of Ireland under Section 1003 of the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997. Promoter Denis Desmond of Live Nation Gaiety, a joint venture with Live Nation, said the guitar made in Fullerton, California and purchased by Rory from Crowley’s Music Shop in Cork in 1963, will end up in Cork.
Bidding opened at £450,000 and quickly reached £650,000. After the next telephone bid there was a long pause, no more bidders emerged and the guitar was sold. Many lots in the auction of the Rory Gallagher Collection were hotly contested and went way above estimate after bidding battles on the internet, phone and in the room. The 1958 Fender electric guitar known as Rory’s back up Strat made £127,400. A Martin D-35 flat top acoustic guitar from 1968 made £102,000, a National Trifolian resonator guitar 1930 made £95,650, a Fender Esquire election guitar 1959 made £96,950, a Fender telecaster electric guitar made £82,950, a Martin mandolin 1942 made £51,200 and a green flight case made £14,080. The sale made a total of £2.3 million.
(See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for October 5 and July 9, 2024)
The Rory Gallagher Collection headed by his legendary 1961 Fender Stratocaster guitar will be exhibited at Bonhams, New Bond St., London from October 12-17, when it will be auctioned. The incredible musical legacy of the legendary blues rock guitarist is celebrated by the release on October 11 of a new boxset of his recorded performances at the BBC.
Rory Gallagher The BBC Collection is a 20 disc set that includes 18 CD’s of radio concerts and sessions from 1971 to 1986 and two Blu Ray discs of BBC TV concerts and studio performances from 1973 to 1984. Though possibly the most recorded musician by the BBC in the 1970’s more than three quarters of the audio recordings have not been released before. Two CD and triple LP sets – The Best of Rory Gallagher at the BBC – will also be released.
Rory Gallagher’s iconic 1961 Fender Stratocaster. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £700,000
In Cork a crowdfunding campaign has been underway since July to bring his iconic Fender Stratocaster back home. This treasured instrument became synonymous with Gallagher and its wear and worn finish have made it one of the world’s most instantly recognisable electric guitars. It has featured in a number of landmark exhibitions, appeared on the cover of countless guitar magazines, and has been played by the likes of Johnny Marr and Joe Bonamassa.
The crowdfunder was initiated by Sheena Crowley of Crowleys Music Shop where Rory bought the guitar for £100 on an instalment plan in 1963. Sheena’s dream is that it might become the centrepiece of a new music museum on the banks of the River Lee.
Rory Gallagher’s Fender Esquire electric guitar (1959). UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £95,650
The auction consists of guitars, amps and accessories from Rory Gallagher’s life and career. It will include a Fender Player Stratocaster HSS electric guitar donated by Fender to benefit the Music Venue Trust, a charity chosen by the Gallagher family dedicated to protecting, securing and improving grassroots music venues. This has been signed by a number of musicians who cite Rory as an influence, including David Gilmour, Johnny Marr, Ed O’Brien, Nile Rodgers and James Bay.
Highlights include a Fender Telecaster electric guitar (1966), a 1958 Fender Stratocaster known as Rory’s backup strat, a Fender Esquire electic guitar (1959), a Martin D-35 flat top acoustic guitar (1968), a Martin mandolin (1942), a Gibson Les Paul junior electric guitar (1958), a National Triolian resonator guitar (1930) and a Gretsch Corvette electric guitar (1963).
Rory’s brother and former manager Donal commented: ““After nearly thirty years since my brother Rory’s passing, I now believe it’s time for other people to cherish Rory’s ‘orphaned’ 1961 Fender Stratocaster and the rest of his incredible instrument collection. Since 1995, I have always felt that there was a mission to be fulfilled to cement Rory’s legacy and widen the knowledge of his music”.
The live auction on October 17, now open for bidding, consists of 94 lots. A timed online sale with 91 lots with guitars, amps, pedals, instruments, flight cases and accessories runs from October 7-18.
A rare Tychobrahe Octavia 1976/77 from the Rory Gallagher collection. This is an effects pedal designed for Jimi Hendrix and made by the Tychobrahe Sound Company in California. UPDATE: THIS MADE £3,840.
Rory Gallagher’s Iconic 1961 Fender Stratocaster No.64351 guitar. Estimate: £700,000 – 1,000,000. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £700,000
THE collection of Rory Gallagher including guitars, amps and accessories will come under the hammer at Bonhams in London next October 17. Considered to be one of the most esteemed guitarists of all time the Irish musician and songwriter Rory Gallagher (1948-1995) was an inspiration to his fans and musicians alike.
The collection is led by Gallagher’s iconic 1961 Fender Stratocaster, arguably the most recognisable Strat in rock history. It will be offered with an estimate of £700,000 – 1,000,000. Rory Gallagher bought the guitar for £100 on credit from the owner of Crowley’s Music Store in Cork, Ireland in 1963.
Speaking of Rory Gallagher’s Stratocaster Sir Brian May commented; “He was one of a very few people at that time, who could make his guitar do anything it seemed, it just seemed to be magic…I remember looking at this battered Stratocaster and thinking “how does that come out of there?”. Brian May has also said that “One of the reasons I do what I do is because of Rory.”
The Rory Gallagher Collection consists of nearly 150 items including an exceptional selection of guitars, amps and accessories from Rory Gallagher’s life and career, all offered directly from the Gallagher family.
Dónal Gallagher, Rory’s brother and former manager, commented: “After nearly thirty years since my brother Rory’s passing, I now believe it’s time for other people to cherish Rory’s ‘orphaned’ 1961 Fender Stratocaster and the rest of his incredible instrument collection. Since 1995, I have always felt that there was a mission to be fulfilled to cement Rory’s legacy and widen the knowledge of his music. So, in what is one of the most difficult and sensitive decisions to reach, I have decided to facilitate the release of his instruments for sale, so that these emblems of his legacy can be enjoyed by others.”
Claire Tole-Moir, Head of Bonhams Popular Culture department, commented:“Rory Gallagher’s 1961 Fender Stratocaster is one of the world’s most recognisable guitars. It was an enormous part of Rory Gallagher’s life and was with him from the very start of his career right until the end. It could be said that it was on this guitar that he carved out his legacy of being one of the greatest guitarists of all time. It has been treasured by Dónal Gallagher, Rory’s brother and former manager, and the Gallagher family ever since Rory’s passing in 1995. Bonhams is honoured to be entrusted with bringing this iconic Stratocaster to auction and is excited to announce the landmark sale of Rory Gallagher’s extensive collection.”
An unpublished recording is among a valuable Rory Gallagher archive at Whyte’s timed online Eclectic Collector sale which runs until Saturday May 13. Relating to his time with the Fontana Showband from Cork it includes a reel to reel tape by Kingsway Recording, London with tracks titled All the Time, I Want You to be Happy, Slow Down, My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean and Valley of Tears along with a CD copy. There are original passport photos taken in a booth in the early 1960’s, promotional cards, Evening Echo news cuttings, a New Spotlight magazine from June 1965, Rory’s harmonica and his sunglasses. Lot 540 is estimated at €15,000-€20,000. The sale offers historical artefacts, manuscripts, 1916 Rising medals, a bible which belonged to Michael Collins, sporting memorabilia, a 1916-1923 film archive, signed Beatles photographs and cinema posters. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
