Collector's 30,000 vinyl records up for auction in Surrey
They're expected to fetch up to £80,000
Last updated 24th Apr 2025
A collector's 30,000-record vinyl collection is set to go up for auction in Surrey and fetch up to £80,000.
The collection features rare pieces by David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix and the Cure.
Vinyl specialist John Silke has never seen anything like it before:
“The collector passed away not long ago and had been collecting for over 60 years. When I visited their home, I found every room filled except the bathroom and kitchen.
“When I opened the garage, that was full too. It was jaw dropping. I rifled through a few boxes and then I took 200 photos on my first recce to try to get a grip on what there was. I spent the next three nights just studying the spines of the records in the photos and it became clear what an amazing Aladdin’s Cave of music we had found there.”
“This has been the biggest single cataloguing job of my career – an extraordinary experience,”
Initial highlights that have emerged during cataloguing include:
• The Who Sell-Out, the band’s third studio album from 1967 and the very limited edition butterfly poster – only included in 1,000 copies of the first UK pressing.
• A Peel Sessions Collection, featuring some of the most iconic bands championed by the highly influential late Radio One DJ, includes Jimi Hendrix, Joy Division, New order, The Smiths, Nico, Stiff Little Fingers and many more
• A collection of Pink Floyd albums covering the band’s entire career
• An extremely rare copy of the 7-inch single I can see your face by Pneumania
• An early David Bowie album, The Man Who Sold the World, comes with the rare, misprinted label, with the name of producer Tony Visconti spelled wrongly
The sale, run by auctioneers Ewbank's in Woking, will be held on Wednesday and Thursday.