ORMSTON BURNS LONDON LIMITED, ROMFORD, UK, CIRCA 1962-63

After specifically searching for a white Bison, Mark Knopfler purchased this rare guitar from Music Ground Ltd in Doncaster, England, in October 2007. Knopfler’s guitar tech Glenn Saggers told us that, once purchased, every guitar would spend time in Mark’s hands so he could get an idea of the sound and where a particular guitar might fit in a particular song. Photographed as one of a line-up of electric guitars in Studio 2 at British Grove Studios by keyboardist Guy Fletcher for his 2011 online studio diaries, this guitar was tried during the recording process, yet never made it on to a record. From time to time, Knopfler kept this guitar in his study for home use. Expressing his fondness for Burns guitars, Knopfler told us: 'It’s not just about the Gibsons and Fenders. But you get this whole thing about Burns guitars, about Eko guitars. These are magic words to me. It’s like a Lord’s Prayer. These are some of the finest words in the English language: Ormston Burns.'