A Manchester City blue Epiphone once owned by the Oasis legend was among the standout lots at a Worcestershire auction — though the sale was overshadowed by a legal battle over unreleased recordings

A striking Manchester City blue Epiphone guitar that once belonged to Oasis legend Noel Gallagher has sold for £12,000 at auction, according to the BBC.

The instrument was handled by Littleton Auctions and formed part of a major collection consigned by the son of Huw Richards, who served as front-of-house sound engineer for the iconic Britpop band.

Crafted in 1997, the limited-edition guitar is believed to be one of just five identical instruments gifted to Gallagher by the manufacturer before eventually being passed on to Richards.

A Treasure Trove of Britpop History

The auction featured a wealth of items from the Richards collection. A set of 11 framed platinum discs, presented by Creation Records to celebrate UK sales exceeding 3.3 million copies of (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, sold for £2,000. A Kangol rain jacket made for touring personnel also brought in £2,000, while tour itineraries, promotional materials, and a Be Here Now wristwatch all found buyers.

Other sellers capitalised on the enduring demand for Oasis memorabilia:

• A rare original concert ticket for The Rain — the precursor band to Oasis — sold for £2,400
• An early demo tape commanded £3,600
• A collection of vintage early photos fetched £5,400
• A pair of leather shoes once owned by Noel Gallagher went for £1,200

Not every high-ticket item found a buyer, however. A baby grand piano featured in the artwork for the Supersonic single, valued between £100,000 and £150,000, ultimately failed to sell.

Legal Dispute Over “The Desk Tapes”

The event was notably overshadowed by a major legal development. A trove of unheard Oasis recordings, known as “The Desk Tapes,” was pulled from the auction block just last week after the band filed an injunction.

Valued between £1.2 million and £1.6 million, the collection includes 63 live show recordings, soundchecks, and more than 100 hours of 1990s rehearsal tapes. Littleton Auctions confirmed that the sale of these recordings has been postponed indefinitely while the legal dispute is resolved.

Enduring Appeal

Despite the missing tapes, the auction underscored the enduring global appeal of Oasis memorabilia, drawing intense interest from collectors eager to own a tangible piece of 1990s rock history.