HITMAKERS: SPENCER DAVIS’ COLLECTION OF GUITARS TO BE AUCTIONED AT BONHAMS
Spencer Davis playing his 1959 Harmony H49 Stratotone Jupiter electric guitar, estimated at $10,000 – 15,000.
Los Angeles – Guitars, amps, and ephemera from the personal collection of Spencer Davis (1939-2020) – the Welsh musician who played a pivotal role in shaping the 1960s British rock scene – was offered as part of Bonhams’ Pop Culture sale from December 8 – 18. The online sale started on the 13th of January and will end 22nd of this month. The standout of the collection is a Harmony H49 Stratotone Jupiter which Davis’ purchased for just £55 in 1965 a few months before the single Keep on Running would land his self-titled band at the top of the British charts for the first time. Over 50 years later, it is now expected to achieve between $10,000 - 15,000.
Formed in 1963, The Spencer Davis Group produced a string of hits throughout the decade including UK No. 1 singles Keep on Running and Somebody Help Me as well as Gimme Some Lovin and I’m a Man which were global breakthroughs, landing on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite multiple line-up changes, Davis was the heart of the band and the driving force behind their distinctive blend of rhythm and blues, rock, and pop. His passion for live performances and work ethic were legendary, and though his later career didn't reach the heights of the 1960s, his influence on rock and rhythm and blues endures.
As a musician, Davis was best known for his sharp guitar tone, achieved with his Gibson and Fender guitars. The sale will present excellent examples of both manufacturers from his collection including a Gibson Les Paul Standard Goldtop, estimated at $3,000 – 5,000, and a Fender US Vintage Series '62 Stratocaster, estimated at $1,500 – 2,000. Also of note in the sale is a National Style 1 Tricone Round Neck Resonator, estimated at $6,000 – 8,000, previously owned by Academy Award winning actor Gary Cooper and bought by Davis at an estate sale in Beverly Hills shortly after his move to California in the early 1970s.
[L-R] A Gary Cooper National Style 1 Tricone Round Neck Resonator Guitar, estimated at $6,000 – 8,000, a Harmony H49 Stratotone Jupiter Electric Guitar, estimated at $10,000 – 15,000, and Gibson Les Paul Standard Goldtop Electric Guitar, estimated at $3,000 – 5,000.
Additional highlights of the collection:
A 1960 Zemaitis 12-String Acoustic Guitar, estimated at $4,000 – 6,000. Davis’ date book from 1960 shows a record of his downpayment on the guitar: "Received / Seven Pounds / 8/10/60 / A.C. Zemaitis.”
A 1916 Gibson Style F-4 mandolin, estimated at $3,000 – 5,000.
A 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb-Amp, most likely used during the height of the band’s success, estimated at $1,000 – 2,000.
A preliminary lyric sheet for Stop Me, I'm Falling which appeared on the 1968 album With Their New Face On. It is estimated at $400 – 600.
About The Bonhams Network
Bonhams is a global network of auction houses, with the largest number of international salerooms, offering the widest range of collecting categories and selling at all price points. Bonhams is recognised for its bespoke service, and a dedication to local market relationships, enhanced by a global platform. With 14 salerooms, Bonhams presents over 1,000 sales annually, across more than 60 specialist categories, including fine art, collectables, luxury, wine & spirits, and collector cars.
Founded in 1793, Bonhams has representatives in more than 30 countries and operates flagship salerooms in London, New York, Paris, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong. In 2022, Bonhams added four international auction houses to its network: Bukowskis, Stockholm; Bruun Rasmussen, Copenhagen; Cornette de Saint Cyr, Paris and Brussels; and Skinner, Massachusetts. The success of Bonhams’ global strategy is a result of recognising the shift in growing intercontinental buying and increased digital engagement. More information HERE
In 2023, Bonhams achieved 14% growth with $1.14 billion in turnover. Recent important auctions and landmark single-owner collections, include the white glove sales of Sir Michael Caine: The Personal Collection, Alain Delon: Sixty Years of Passion; Sir Roger Moore: The Personal Collection; Personal Property of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and The Robert & Jean-Pierre Rousset Collection of Asian Art: A Century of Collecting. Other notable single-owner sales included The Estate of Barbara Walters: American Icon; The Alan and Simone Hartman Collection; The Crown Auction: Props and Costumes and The Claude de Marteau Collection.
Top lots for 2023 include 1967 Ferrari 412P Berlinetta, Sold at Quail Lodge, US for US$30,255,000. Tipu Sultan’s Bedchamber Sword (sold in London for £14m – a world record for both an Islamic and an Indian object); Paul Signac (1863-1935), Sisteron, 1902. Sold for US$8,580,000 (estimate US$4-6 million), and Claude Monet (1840-1926), La Seine près de Giverny, 1888. Sold for US$6,352,500 (estimate US$4-6m), both from the Alan and Simone Hartman Collection; A Gilt Copper Alloy figure of Virupaksha, Central Tibet, Densatil Monastery, Early 15th century. Sold for HK$37.9m (£4,060,326) in Hong Kong. Yoshitomo Nara (born 1959) Three Stars. Sold for HK$36,754,000 (£3,930,914, also in Hong Kong
For more information about this auction and others featured By Bonhams, please visit their site. Bonhams can also be found on Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, and Pinterest.
