Some “rare and original” items from Manchester institutions The Haçienda and Factory Records have gone up for sale on eBay.
The memorabilia was chosen from the archives of Tony Wilson, who founded both iconic outfits, synonymous with the Madchester scene.
In the auction, items up for grabs included two FAC51 Haçienda membership cards, a Buzzcocks magazine with art by Linda Sterling, and an original poster promoting Joy Division‘s debut at The Factory Club from 1978 (as per DJ Mag).
News of the sale was announced on social media, with the Tony Wilson Archive account on Instagram saying: “Very pleased to announce the release of several original Factory Records and Hacienda items from the archive, now live for a seven day auction over on eBay.”
It added that all items for sale were “original and rare” and all sourced “from The Tony Wilson Archive and will be accompanied by a formal letter of authenticity”.
Prices for items ranged from around £200 up to £900, and at time of writing it appears that all have been sold.
As highlighted by RA, the sale comes after the estate for the late Tony Wilson – who managed bands including Happy Mondays, New Order, Joy Division, A Certain Ratio, Durutti Column and more – hosted an inaugural gallery exhibition at Manchester’s Smolensky Gallery last year.
That event was billed as a free, immersive experience, and led by Wilson’s son, Oliver. It was made possible following the archive starting a Kickstarter campaign towards the end of 2024, asking for help to open its collection to the public for the first time.
More recently, a book that showed some previously unseen photographs taken at The Haçienda back in 1991 was published by the British Culture Archive.
That club was started in 1982 by Alan Erasmus and his Factory Records colleagues Tony Wilson, Rob Gretton, Martin Hannett and Peter Saville. It was funded largely by the label and the band New Order, and located in a former yacht builder’s shop on Whitworth Street West until its closure in 1997.
The site was demolished in 2002, with apartments later being built there instead. To mark its fortieth birthday, a rave was held in the building’s underground car park.
