North Yorkshire auction sees Fender Stratocaster electric guitar sell for above estimate

The Fender Stratocaster, a name synonymous with Rock and Roll, was first designed in 1953 by Leo Fender six years after he had established Fender Guitars. His first guitar, the Broadcaster (later renamed the Telecaster), was criticised for being too square and uncomfortable to use.

The Stratocaster was his response, with its sleek curves and contoured body to fit snugly against the musician, and a host of new features that set its place in musical history and influenced the design of electric guitars for generations to come.

Amongst the stringed instruments in the sale was a cello discovered in the outbuildings of a large house, seemingly untouched for more than fifty years; according to the label the ‘Ardeton Cello’ was made in the workshops of Rushworth and Dreaper of Liverpool in 1931, and it sold for £2,200.

Selling well, too, was a modern Classic Wurlizer ‘One More Time’ vinyl-selection CD jukebox, which sold well at £1,500.

Selling for £3,000 was a late Victorian refracting telescope by the highly regarded maker J H Dallmeyer; with a very sophisticated and sturdy stand, the microscope would have been made for a keen, and wealthy, amateur astronomer. Good scientific instruments were in demand, and a particularly fine Monocular microscope no.122 by James Smith sold for £2,200. The good maker’s name and original accessories helped the lot sell well above estimate.

Finally, good vintage cameras continue to sell well, with Leica remaining one of the most sought-after makers; in this sale, a Leica M3 camera sold for £1,300.

The sale realised a total hammer price of £50,050, with an 85 per cent sold rate for the 213 lots. Consignments are now open for the next sale on September 2.

For more information, go to www.tennants.co.uk.