WITKOWSKI CUSTOM GUITARS, POLAND, 2000

As part of the promotional tour following the release of his second solo studio album Sailing To Philadelphia on 26 September 2000, Mark Knopfler visited Poland to film an intimate concert at the Lokomotywa Club in Warsaw on 7 December 2000 for broadcast on TVP-1 the following week. At the after-party, luthier Marek Witkowski presented Mark with this petite Witkwoski ST3 Junior guitar, which would be a convenient size for travelling. Often presented with guitars by their makers when on tour, Knopfler told us: 'I always try to see them, always try to play ‘em, and always gave them a fair shake because, you know, you realise what a thing you’ve taken on if you want to build something, and build something well.'