George Michael's iconic "Faith" guitar. (Sworders via SWNS)
By Filipa Gaspar
The guitar used by George Michael in the "Faith" video is set to go under the hammer for £100,000 ($134,200).
The original 1940s Gretsch Synchromatic 160 instrument was played by the late singer in the iconic 1987 song.
It is now on public display in London ahead of its sale later this month.
Michael strummed its opening chords while sporting the leather jacket and denim look that would become synonymous with the era.
A number of signed photographs, all personally inscribed to Siobhan Bailey, which offer an unprecedented glimpse into George Michael’s professional and personal life. (Sworders via SWNS)
With its distinctive sunburst finish and cat's-eye sound holes, the guitar became one of the most recognizable symbols of Michael's transformation from Wham! heartthrob to global solo superstar.
Timed to coincide with the upcoming George Michael The Faith Tour film, the instrument is being exhibited at Sworders in Cecil Court from Oct. 20 to 27 before featuring in the auction house's special sale, Faith & Fame: A Personal George Michael Collection, on Oct. 29.
Released in 1987, Faith went on to sell more than 25 million copies worldwide and cemented Michael's place among pop music's biggest stars.
While several replicas were later created for touring purposes, Sworders says this is the original guitar used in the hit music video.
The lot is being offered complete with its original hardshell case, which bears a handwritten label identifying the instrument as "The Rockabilly Rebel."
(Sworders via SWNS)
The title track, with its instantly recognizable guitar riff, spent four weeks at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 2 in the UK. The video, directed by Andy Morahan, embraced a stripped-back, leather-and-denim aesthetic that would go on to influence music videos across MTV's golden age.
The guitar forms the centerpiece of a remarkable collection assembled by Michael's longtime personal assistant, Siobhan Bailey, who worked alongside the singer for almost 20 years before her death in 2014 aged 56.
The archive provides a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into Michael's career, spanning both his Wham! years and his hugely successful solo period.
Among the items are detailed tour itineraries dating back to Wham!'s 1983 Club Fantastic Tour and material from the band's landmark 1985 China tour, the first undertaken by a major Western pop act. The collection also includes previously unseen photographs of Michael and Andrew Ridgeley during their visit to China.
Fans will also find memorabilia linked to some of the singer's most memorable live performances, including a typed running order from Live Aid in 1985 referencing his duet with Elton John on "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me."
(Sworders via SWNS)
Other highlights include documents connected to Michael's acclaimed performance of "Somebody to Love" at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, presentation discs marking major sales milestones, rare cassettes and acetate singles, and a number of signed photographs personally inscribed to Bailey.
The collection as a whole is expected to realize more than £200,000 ($268,400).
Guy Schooling, chairman of Sworders, said: "We are proud to present a unique insight into the working life of a music legend. George Michael's work continues to resonate as powerfully today as it did during his heyday.
"The Faith guitar is the jewel in the crown. Together with the other items from Siobhan Bailey's collection, it tells a story of creativity, ambition and artistry on a global scale.
"The sale will offer avid fans around the globe the chance to own not just pieces of music history, but objects that capture the spirit and ambition of one of pop's greatest and most-loved artists."