Touched by god

137 guitars, amplifiers and other items owned and used by Eric Clapton will be auctioned off today by Bonhams Auction House.

Estimates range from $300 to over $20,000 depending on the item, the highlight of the auction for me being the 1957 Fender Twin that he used throughout the 90s, including the recording of the album From The Cradle.

The auction is a fund raiser for the Crossroads Centre for drug and alcohol addiction founded by Clapton and even in today's economy should raise a fair bit of money.

While the value of other rock stars' memorabilia has faded, Clapton's continues to be desirable to such a degree that even a "Blackie" replica strat is expected to sell for a huge pile of cash.

Have there been better guitar players? It's debatable, but Rolling Stone Magazine says there have been three. Have there been bigger stars who've sold more records? Definitely.

Clapton's gear retains its value because his legend is so strong.

Clapton's has a mythology that most brands can only dream of. From his humble beginnings as a 17-year-old prodigy banging around the clubs of London, to his early work with the Yardbirds where he earned the ironic nickname "Slowhand," to the appearance of graffiti in 1968 on the wall of a London Underground, to his collaboration with great rock and blues artists of every era, Clapton's value has grown while staying connected to his blues roots.

When it comes to retaining long-term value, Clapton's brand is one worth studying whether you're a multi-national corporation or even Justin Bieber.