Noel Gallagher's Oasis Unplugged acoustic guitar sells for record price

An acoustic guitar played by Noel Gallagher during Oasis's celebrated 1996 MTV Unplugged performance has sold at auction for what organisers describe as a record price for the instrument's category.

The guitar was used by Gallagher during the band's stripped-back set, a performance that became one of the defining moments of the Britpop era and introduced many fans to acoustic versions of Oasis staples. The Unplugged show was recorded without singer Liam Gallagher, who was absent on the night, leaving Noel to take on lead vocal duties for the performance.

Memorabilia tied to Oasis has commanded growing interest at auction in recent years, with the band's reunion tour renewing public attention on artefacts from their 1990s heyday. Collectors have shown particular interest in items connected to pivotal live performances rather than studio recordings, auction specialists say, as such pieces carry a documented moment in the band's history.

The sale underlines the broader trend of rising prices for rock memorabilia tied to British guitar bands of the 1990s, as original fans who grew up with the music reach an age where they are able to bid for pieces of that era.

Further details of the buyer and the exact sale price were not disclosed by the auction house.