George Michael’s iconic 1940s Gretsch Synchromatic 160 guitar, prominently featured in the 1987 “Faith” music video, is set to be auctioned by Sworders on October 29 with an estimated price tag of between £60,000 and £120,000, sparking a bitter family row over the dispersal of the late pop star’s personal memorabilia.
The Bottom Line
- The centerpiece of the “Faith & Fame: A Personal George Michael Collection” auction is the vintage Gretsch guitar, which Guitarist magazine recently billed as “arguably the most famous Gretsch Synchromatic in the world”.
- The collection was gathered by Siobhan Bailey, Michael’s personal assistant for over 20 years who died suddenly from natural causes in 2014 at age 56, and whose brother has criticized the sale as heartbreaking and contrary to her wishes.
- Alongside the guitar, the auction features rare items including a 1988 tour Filofax, personal presentation discs, and backstage materials expected to realise more than £200,000.
The Journey of the Faith Guitar
The instrument at the center of the upcoming sale holds a place in pop music history. In the autumn of 1987, as George Michael’s first solo album was ready for release, he acquired the vintage instrument in a shop in Los Angeles because he knew it would look perfect in the video. In the resulting video directed by Andy Morahan, Michael strummed the guitar while wearing a leather jacket and denim—a stripped-back look that would go on to influence music videos across MTV’s golden age.
The album went on to sell more than 25 million copies worldwide, while the title track spent four weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached number two in the UK. According to Sworders, makers built several replicas later for touring purposes, but Sworders says this is the original guitar used in the hit music video. A handwritten label inside its original hardshell case identifies the piece as “The Rockabilly Rebel.”
The Archivist Behind the Collection
The memorabilia heading to the auction block was originally curated by Siobhan Bailey, who began working as Michael’s personal assistant in 1984 during the year Wham! had their first number-one hit with “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go.” Bailey remained his PA for 20 years. Her brother told BBC News that she avoided the limelight and guarded the pop star’s privacy, despite the attention of tabloid journalists hoping for stories.
George gifted the Gretsch guitar to his personal assistant, Siobhan Bailey. The collection she amassed spans his years with Wham! and his solo career—including itineraries from the 1983 Club Fantastic Tour and photographs from their 1985 China tour of Wham!. Among the lots are a typed running order from Live Aid in 1985 mentioning his duet with Elton John on “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” papers tied to his performance of “Somebody to Love” at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, and personalised gold and platinum presentation discs.
| Auction Item | Estimated or Guide Price | Current Bid / Market Context |
|---|---|---|
| Gretsch Synchromatic 160 Guitar | £60,000 – £120,000 | Featured centerpiece of the Sworders sale |
| 1988 Faith Tour Filofax | Up to £600 | Current bid of £1,750 |
| George Michael’s Leather Jacket (Earlier Sale) | Not Applicable | Sold earlier for £176,400 |
| Full Siobhan Bailey Collection | More than £200,000 | Exhibition held at Sworders in Cecil Court, London |
A Family Dispute Over the Sale
While Sworders put the items on public display in London from October 20 to October 27 ahead of the live auction on October 29, the dispersal has triggered family friction. Bailey’s brother voiced opposition to the proceedings in interviews with BBC News, stating that his sister would never have consented to the sale of her personal archives. He noted that she died suddenly and unexpectedly of natural causes at the age of 56.
Directing his frustration at Belcher, whom he identified as the vendor, her brother accused him of deciding 12 years after his sister’s death to cash in. He described the inclusion of intimate items like her handwritten notes and Filofax as contrary to how quietly she lived her life. While Bailey acknowledged that Belcher holds the legal right to sell the items, he criticized the promotional framing of the event around his late sister’s name.
Sworders chairman Guy Schooling defended the auction as a unique insight into the working life of a music legend, noting that the entire collection tells a story of creativity, ambition and artistry on a global scale. Items like the 1988 tour Filofax have already exceeded their estimates in early bidding, proving that public appetite for the late singer’s personal history remains as the ethics of the sale divide those closest to his inner circle.
