The 'Marr's Guitars: The Johnny Marr Collection' auction, organised by Christie's in London and dedicated to the instruments of Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, far exceeded expectations. The sale of 111 lots achieved a total of £3.6 million (€4.2 million), more than triple the initial estimate. Bidders from 34 countries took part, 81% of whom were first-time participants with the auction house, in a session lasting over five hours. Among the most contested pieces, the 1982 Rickenbacker 330, played by the musician on some of the celebrated Manchester band's greatest hits, such as 'This Charming Man', 'What Difference Does It Make?' and 'Still Ill', and loaned to Noel Gallagher for the cover of Supersonic, was sold for £358,400 against an estimate of £60,000–80,000. The 1960 Gibson ES-355 Cherry Red, purchased in New York in 1984 by Sire Records founder Seymour Stein after a playful bet with Marr over the band's signing, reached £204,800, compared to an estimate of £100,000–150,000. The 2017 Fender Jaguar Comet Sparkle, used for the soundtrack of the James Bond film 'No Time to Die' and for Marr's performance at the Brit Awards with Billie Eilish, was sold for £46,080 after a contest between 11 bidders. The proceeds from 31 lots, including guitars, vintage posters and memorabilia, were donated to two British charities: Guide Dogs for the Blind and the National Autistic Society. "The auction was a fantastic experience, it exceeded my expectations," said Marr, who, following the Smiths' dissolution in the late 1980s, has continued his solo career and recently performed in Italy as part of his tour.