LONDON.- Chris Martin’s very first acoustic guitar, used during the recording of Coldplay’s UK no.1 hit album Parachutes, will be offered at Bonhams Entertainment Memorabilia Sale, taking place 24 June at Bonhams Knightsbridge.

Martin purchased the Vicente Tatay Tomas acoustic from Bill Greenhalgh's music shop in his hometown of Exeter. Martin took this guitar with him when he moved to London to study at UCL (University College London) in September 1996. This was where Chris met Jonny Buckland at their university ‘freshers’ week, following which the pair planned to form a band over the coming year, resulting in the formation of Coldplay. Martin used this guitar during the composition of many of Coldplay's earliest songs, and during the recording of their pioneering debut album Parachutes. It's now offered at estimate £7,000-9,000.

Natalie Downing, Bonhams Entertainment Memorabilia Specialist, said: “Musical instruments regularly produce excellent prices at Bonhams, so with many featured in the sale, it’s a great opportunity for collectors and fans to take home items that their musical heroes may once have played.”

Two album cover artworks signed by the members of Coldplay will also be offered. Lot 251 is a mixed media collage of the album Ghost Stories (estimated at £3,000-5,000), and lot 250 is a mixed media collage of the album Magic (lot 250, estimate £2,000-3,000).

Further guitars with excellent musical provenance include a Lowden Acoustic (£5,000-7,000), and a Fender Stratocaster (£4,000-6,000), both used for the recording of Eric Clapton’s 1998 song, My Father’s Eyes.

Elsewhere, Jerry Scheff, the bassist from Elvis Presley’s TCB band, is offering his Fender Precision Bass guitar, estimated at £4,000-5,000. It was the main guitar Scheff used whilst performing with Elvis Presley’s TCB Band for concerts in the 1970s, and for studio work in the 1980s.

A collection of six artworks by Ginger Baker, member of the British rock band Cream, will also be offered. Produced by Baker at the height of his fame, the earliest pieces include an untitled alien landscape (lot 155, estimate £1,500-2,500), a pair of self-portrait sketches (lot 157, estimate £800-1,200), and an additional alien landscape (lot 158, estimate £1,500-2,500), all circa 1964.

Further sale highlights include a rare black and gold-label, stereo pressing of The Beatles 1963 album Please Please Me, estimated at £7,500-8,000, and a JCM Slash signature Marshall amp and speaker used by Slash (of Guns N’ Roses fame) on stage, estimated at £3,000-5,000.