Johnny Cash auction closes at $4m

Cash died in September 2003 after complications from diabetes

Items owned by the late Johnny Cash raised almost $4m (£2.2m) at auction, more than double the expected amount.

More than 1,000 bidders paid up to 27 times the predicted prices for the country music star's possessions.

A 1986 Grammy with a $7,000 (£3,900) list price sold for $187,200 (£104,000) making it the most expensive item.

Sotheby's in New York had estimated the three-day sale, which ended on Thursday, would raise about $1.5m (£836,000). Cash died in September 2003.

The Grammy was awarded for best spoken word or non-musical recording.

Cash shared it with Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Rick Nelson and their producers for interviews taped during a 1985 reunion of the music legends.

Cash's acoustic guitar sold for more than six times its estimated price

The auction's 769 lots traced the five decades of his career and his life with wife June Carter Cash, who died last May.

The second most sought-after item at the sale was a custom-made abalone-inlaid acoustic guitar.

Bidding had been expected to reach $20,000 (£11,650), but it eventually sold for $131,200 (£73,200).

Sharon Graves, of Nebraska, who bought the guitar, already had an extensive collection of Cash memorabilia thanks to her late husband Terry, a lifelong fan.

She said: "It'll be the centrepiece of the collection. I bought it in Terry's memory."

The guitar was made in the 1960s by Billy Grammer and labelled "Custom Made For Johnny Cash".

'Thrilled'

Other items to fetch more than the expected prices were a photo of Elvis Presley inscribed "June, I love you", which sold for $18,000 (£10,000) and pair of silver Tiffany centrepieces which made £42,000 (£23,300).

Items from Folsom Prison including a striped prisoner's jacket, presented to Cash by a warden after he performed there, sold for $6,000 (£3,350).

"We're thrilled with the results," said Leila Dunbar, head of Sotheby's collectibles department.

"It's been an extremely intense group of people showing their admiration for Johnny and June, which is not surprising, given the accomplishments of their careers," she added.

Other notable items at the sale were several of Cash's trademark black jackets, a 1987 Rolls Royce and the grand piano featured in Cash's last video, Hurt.

The proceeds, which totalled $3,984,260 (£2,220,265), will go to the Cash estate.