Rory Gallagher Fender Stratocaster heads to auction with $1.3 million estimate

LONDON (Reuters) - Irish rock and blues star Rory Gallagher's 1961 Fender Stratocaster guitar, described as "the most recognisable Strat in rock history" because of its worn appearance, is headed for auction later this year with an estimated price of up to $1.28 million.

Gallagher bought the electric guitar in 1963 for 100 pounds on credit from the owner of Crowley's Music Store in the southern Irish city of Cork and played it up throughout his career.

"Known for his electrifying live performances, this was the guitar he used on stage and in studio," Claire Tole-Moir, head of auction house Bonhams' popular culture department, said on Wednesday.

"There's also a legend that says that this is the first Fender Stratocaster that came into Ireland. So it's also an important Fender guitar as well as an important Rory Gallagher guitar,” she added.

The Stratocaster, which has a price estimate of 700,000 pounds to 1 million pounds ($898,590 - $1.28 million), is the leading lot for "The Rory Gallagher Collection" auction, which will be held on Oct. 17 at Bonhams in London and features around 150 items, including other guitars, amps and accessories.

Gallagher died in 1995, aged 47, and the items are being offered for sale by his family.

His Stratocaster has featured in exhibitions and has been played by other guitarists such as Joe Bonamassa and Johnny Marr.

"It's been deemed the most recognisable Fender Stratocaster in the world because of... its unusually worn appearance but it's got a really distinct look, and everybody associates it with Rory," Tole-Moir said.

Items from the sale will go on show for several days at Bonhams London from Oct. 12, with some highlights also on display in New York and Los Angeles later this month and in August.

($1 = 0.7790 pounds)

(Reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Bill Berkrot)