Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler will auction dozens of guitars next year

Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler will have more than 120 of his guitars and amplifiers auctioned in London next year. The British auction house Christie’s announced this today. A quarter of the proceeds will go to the British Red Cross and other charities.

According to Knopfler, the collection symbolizes his sixty-year ‘love affair’ with guitars. Still, he says it’s time to get rid of most of them. “We’ve had great times together, but I can’t play them all.”

The former singer and guitarist of Dire Straits is selling, among other things, his Les Paul from the Gibson brand from 1983. Knopfler used it to record the world-famous album Brothers in Arms from 1985 op. He also took the stage with the same guitar during the Live Aid concert in the same year.

The auction house estimates the Les Paul will fetch between £10,000 and £15,000. This amounts to between 11,000 and 17,000 euros.

In a video on X today, Knopfler announced that he will be auctioning off his guitars early next year:

Knopfler is also selling his 1959 Les Paul, known among guitarists as the holy grail of electric guitars. Also up for auction is a mandolin previously owned by blues musician Yank Rachell.

The British rock band Dire Straits was active between 1977 and 1995. Knopfler was especially famous for his guitar solos in, among others, Sultans of Swing in Telegraph Road.

The auction of more than 120 guitars and amplifiers will take place in London on January 31. The instruments will first be exhibited in New York and London.