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Richard Gere's guitars fetch $1 million at auction

Includes instruments owned by blues guitarist Albert King, reggae star Peter Tosh

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IMAGE: Gere's guitars
Emmanuel Dunand  /  AFP - Getty Images
Some of Richard Gere's vintage guitars are displayed before they were sold. They earned more than $1 million, which the actor says he will donate.
updated 10/12/2011 10:58:20 AM ET 2011-10-12T14:58:20

NEW YORK — A collection of American vintage guitars owned by actor Richard Gere has fetched nearly $1 million at auction in New York City.

Tuesday's sale of 110 guitars and amplifiers at Christie's auction house included brands such as C.F. Martin, Gibson, Fender and Gretsch and guitars once owned by blues guitarist Albert King and reggae musician Peter Tosh.

Story: Richard Gere to sell guitar collection at auction

The top sale went to a 1960 solid-body Les Paul electric guitar by Gibson, which sold for more than $98,000.

Slideshow: Richard Gere (on this page)

Gere says he's parting with the instruments to support global humanitarian causes. Christie's says the "Pretty Woman" star studied trumpet and is a self-taught pianist and guitarist.

Story: Modern Masters Lead to Records at Christie’s

Gere says he never planned to assemble a guitar collection and bought only ones that he liked and that sounded good to him.

Think you have any collections that you could sell for big bucks? Tell us on Facebook.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Photos: Richard Gere

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  1. Together again

    In "Nights in Rodanthe," Dr. Paul Flanner (Gere) and Adrienne Willis (Diane Lane) find love amidst the chaos of their personal lives during a weekend at a coastal North Carolina inn. Gere and Lane previously starred together in "Unfaithful" (2002) and "The Cotton Club" (1984). (Warner Bros.) Back to slideshow navigation
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    VIP treatment

    Gere, left, holds his son Homer, 9, while talking with New York Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon, right, as the Yankees took batting practice before a spring training baseball game at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., on March 27, 2009. (Kathy Willens / AP) Back to slideshow navigation

  3. Pet project

    Gere, center, holds a Japanese Akita dog while joining Japanese singer Thelma Aoyama, left, and actor Kinya Kitaoji at the premiere of the film "Hachiko: A Dog's Tale," in Tokyo on July 8, 2009. (Dai Kurokawa / EPA) Back to slideshow navigation

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