Noel Gallagher’s signed Epiphone EJ-200 acoustic guitar, used during the creation of Oasis’s second album (What’s The Story) Morning Glory?, heads to auction at Sotheby’s. The lot includes a handwritten lyric sheet for “Don’t Look Back In Anger” and a Rickenbacker 12-string model that Gallagher played for a decade.
Auction Highlights
This marks the first auction for the EJ-200, with estimates ranging from £45,000 to £60,000. Online bidding begins Thursday, April 9. A letter of authenticity verifies the guitar’s role throughout the production of the iconic 1995 album.
Craig Inciardi, Sotheby’s pop culture specialist based in New York, notes that the model remains a staple in Gallagher’s performances today. “It was quite extraordinary how they managed to record it in such a fast period of time,” Inciardi states, referring to the album’s completion in just 15 days. “Gallagher was just so prolific at the time… with the amount of songs that were coming out of him, it’s almost unprecedented. And if you look at that album and you look at the track listing, it looks like a greatest hits album.”
Gallagher gifted the guitar to a roadie, who later sold it to the current owner—a devoted Oasis fan connected to the band’s inner circle. Inciardi calls it a “holy grail” for collectors, emphasizing how such historically significant instruments have skyrocketed in value.
Album Legacy
(What’s The Story) Morning Glory? boasts timeless tracks like “Wonderwall,” “Champagne Supernova,” “Some Might Say,” and “She’s Electric.” It sold 350,000 copies in its debut week and over 22 million worldwide, ranking among the top 50 albums ever. The record topped the UK charts for 10 weeks and secured a BRIT Award for Best British Album in 1996.
Recent Oasis Milestones
Oasis celebrated the album’s 30th anniversary last year with a reissue featuring five unplugged versions of hits. They also marked three decades of “Wonderwall” via a limited-edition 7-inch singles box set. The band showcased several tracks from the album during their massive Live ’25 reunion tour.
Other notable auctions include a guitar reportedly smashed by Liam Gallagher on the night of Oasis’s split, which fetched £325,000 after a prior sale. Noel’s Epiphone Les Paul from the Definitely Maybe era sold in 2024.
Ongoing Projects
Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight recently detailed his Oasis documentary, confirming the “phenomenal” four-hour project chronicles the Gallagher brothers’ stage return.
Noel Gallagher shared his thoughts: “I’ve only seen a tiny little bit of it and it’s difficult to have an opinion on it because I’m only looking at little snippets. Everyone who has seen it, or seen more of it than I have, has said that it’s amazing. If it even captures five per cent of what that tour was, it’ll be astonishing. Looking forward to it.” He added, “The gigs were amazing, particularly the ones in Manchester, and I’m kind of lost for words for it, really. The gigs spoke for themselves.”
Earlier this year, Noel confirmed he returned to the recording studio, though details remain unclear on whether it involves new Oasis material. He mentioned being “back at work” after his Christmas break.
Last month, Noel praised Liam as being on “spectacular form” while the brothers watched Manchester City clinch the Carabao Cup at Wembley Stadium.
