Bonhams Punk Sale: Brian James Guitar Fetches £70,250

Bonhams' 50 Years of Punk sale concluded on 30 April 2026 with strong results. The top lot was Brian James' Gibson SG Standard Electric Guitar, used by The Damned, selling for £70,250 against an estimate of £12,000–£15,000. The guitar was played on albums Damned Damned Damned and Music For Pleasure, and on the single New Rose, the first UK punk single released on 22 October 1976 via Stiff Records. Handwritten lyrics for New Rose also sold for £15,360 (estimate £8,000–12,000). The online sale ran from 20–30 April on bonhams.com, featuring items from Sex Pistols, The Clash, Ramones, Blondie, Vivienne Westwood, and Jamie Reid.