Celebrating 50 Years of Punk

Key Bands & Scenes

The Sex Pistols
No band embodies the shock and disruption of punk quite like the Sex Pistols.

Emerging from London in 1975, the Pistols ignited a cultural firestorm that challenged authority, taste and tradition. Their short, chaotic existence left an outsized legacy — one that reshaped music, fashion and youth culture overnight.

This section includes items connected to the band’s explosive rise, capturing the raw energy, controversy and visual identity that defined punk’s most infamous group.

The Clash
Where others burned fast, The Clash built something lasting.

Blending punk’s urgency with political awareness, reggae, dub and rock, The Clash expanded what punk could be — without losing its edge. Their music spoke to social unrest, identity and resistance, earning them a global following.

Lots associated with The Clash reflect both their militant aesthetic and their role in pushing punk beyond its original boundaries.

The Ramones
Fast, loud and stripped back to the bone.

The Ramones distilled rock music to its essentials, laying the foundations for punk on both sides of the Atlantic. Their influence on sound, style and attitude cannot be overstated — from leather jackets and ripped jeans to two-minute songs played at breakneck speed.

This selection highlights the band’s role in shaping punk’s visual and musical language.

Siouxsie and the Banshees
Dark, experimental and uncompromising, Siouxsie and the Banshees brought a new sensibility to punk.

Blurring the lines between punk, post-punk and art rock, the band challenged conventions around image, performance and gender. Siouxsie Sioux became one of punk’s most enduring and influential figures.

Items in this section reflect the band’s striking visual style and artistic ambition.

The Damned
The first UK punk band to release a single — and among the first to tour extensively.

The Damned combined speed, humour and theatricality, helping to define punk’s early sound while pushing it towards gothic and alternative territories. Their longevity and adaptability made them a bridge between punk’s beginnings and its later evolutions.

Beyond the Bands: Punk Culture

Fashion & Style
From torn clothing and DIY slogan to iconic designers and boutiques, punk fashion was confrontational, handmade and deeply political. This sale will include garments, accessories and objects that reflect how punk rejected mainstream style and in doing so, reshaped it forever.

Artwork, Flyers & Ephemera
Punk’s visual identity was as important as its sound. Photocopied flyers, record sleeves, fanzines and posters captured the urgency and immediacy of the scene. Often produced cheaply and quickly, these objects were never meant to last — making surviving examples especially rare.

UK & US Scenes

UK & US Scenes
While punk emerged simultaneously in the UK and US, each scene developed its own sound, style and ideology.  This auction explores both sides of the Atlantic, from London and Manchester to New York and Los Angeles, highlighting the differences and shared spirit that defined punk worldwide.

A Living Legacy
Punk’s influence didn’t end in the late 1970s.  Its impact can be traced through post-punk, new wave, alternative rock and contemporary fashion and design. The items in this auction represent not just a moment in time, but a movement that continues to resonate fifty years on.

We also have a Punk section in our specialist music auctions throughout the year.