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 – will be offered as part of Bonhams' Pop Culture sale from December 8 – 18. 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.
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.