In New York, On October 11, Christie's will present The Richard Gere Guitar Collection. The sale will offer approximately 110 lots, which will include a broad representation of vintage American guitars from the marquee names of C.F. Martin, Gibson, Fender, Gretsch and Epiphone, and a selection of amplifiers, as well as iconic guitars that belonged to Albert King, Peter Tosh and James D'Aquisto. The sale is expected to realize in the region of $1,000,000. Richard Gere is known as a leading Hollywood figure but he is also an accomplished musician and played in such films as Cotton Club and Pretty Woman among others - he studied trumpet and is a self-taught pianist and guitarist who has played since his youth. With a passion for American vintage guitars, Richard Gere amassed a personal collection built upon their playability and craftsmanship. Kept and played in his home and office, this collection has been under wraps until now.
Richard Gere had this to say, "I've had a love affair with guitars since I was a kid. They have been my true friends through the best and worst of times. I never planned to put together a collection, I just bought ones that I liked, the ones that sounded good and played well. Some are very special. Although it's more than a little painful to let them go, each one has been played, loved and appreciated- and will be again."
Kerry Keane, Head of the Musical Instruments Department at Christies, said, "Each guitar in this sale began as an instrument that Richard Gere purchased for himself, because he saw something brilliant, whether it was for its tonal quality, playability or sheer beauty. What transpired over a lifetime is an almost encyclopedic representation of American guitar making. This is an exciting opportunity for collectors and fans alike to take advantage of Mr. Gere's unrecognized talent for creating a cohesive collection." About Richard Gere
Richard Gere (b. 1949) is internationally known as both a leading film actor and philanthropist. Since his film career began in 1975, Mr. Gere has starred in over 40 movies. His best-known films include An Officer and a Gentleman, Days of Heaven, American Gigolo, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, Pretty Woman, Primal Fear, Unfaithful, and Chicago, for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor. Mr. Gere attended the University of Massachusetts where he was a philosophy and theater major.
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