Carson's famous mic up for sale

Auctioneers said the prop was "an important piece of Americana"

A microphone that sat on late TV host Johnny Carson's Tonight Show desk in the 1960s and '70s is being auctioned.

The microphone was an ever-present prop for Carson, who hosted the talk show for 30 years and died in January at 79.

It is being sold by Heritage Galleries in Dallas, Texas, on Friday but auctions director Doug Norwine could not guess how high bids would reach.

"I think the thing should start around $20,000 [£10,400]," he said. "But it could hit six figures."

It would be "a complete wild card", he said. "There are so many people that got their start on The Tonight Show - it's such an important piece of Americana."

The microphone was salvaged by chief boom operator Stan Sweeney when crew members were told they could "take a memento or two" during technical upgrades in the 1980s.

Mr Norwine said: "I think he had it in his house for years and years and probably after Carson's passing thought this would be a good time to make it available to collectors and fans."

The microphone still has the words "Johnny's mic... not Ed's... not Fred's..." on a label - a reference to co-host Ed McMahon and producer Fred de Cordova.

A Grammy Award won by The Rolling Stones and contracts signed by Elvis Presley will also be offered at the auction.