Eric Clapton's guitar gift to Dave Edmunds sells for £470k

A guitar given by Eric Clapton to Welsh musician Dave Edmunds has sold at auction for $625,000 [almost £470,000].

The guitarist gave it to Cardiff-born Edmunds when he visited the Cream legend at his Surrey home in 1976.

The acoustic 1968 Martin D-45 was played by Clapton during Derek and the Dominos' first gig in London in 1970.

"It was bought by a music enthusiast, but someone who is also a hedge fund person," Martin Nolan, from the auction house in LA, said.

"It was a dream for them but they will see it as an investment."

The sale at the Big Apple's Hard Rock Cafe made $5m [£3.75m] in total, and included a signed letter of provenance from Edmunds, whose bands have included Love Sculpture and Rockpile.

That reveals Clapton was planning to give him a Gibson J-200, but he chose the Martin when the J-200 could not be found.

The instrument sold for well above its £363,000 estimate.

Mr Nolan said: "The guy who bought it had been a fan for years and a huge music enthusiast.

"It was something that meant a lot to him. He grew up with Clapton, Derek and the Dominos and Cream and is still a huge fan."

He said the man bought it with his son, a guitarist, for the US Thanksgiving holiday.

"He's probably playing it right now," Mr Nolan said.

While the instrument went for more than expected, it fell short of the record $6m [£4.5m] paid in 2020 for the acoustic guitar late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain strummed during a 1993 MTV Unplugged appearance.

A sheet of handwritten draft lyrics to 1970 hit Layla was also up for grabs at the NYC sale on 19-20 November.

They sold for $64,000 [£48,027] smashing the estimate of £22,000-£36,000 [$30,000-£50,000].

There was the odd bargain to be had though.

A lemon yellow suit worn by Welsh singer Sir Tom Jones and signed on the lining was a snip.

"I think that went for $1,920," (£1,439) Mr Nolan said.

It was sold with a 1992 booklet showing the Pontypridd-born star wearing a similar suit in a different colour and a letter of authenticity for the signature.