Imagine owning John Lennon's microphone, estimated at $8,300

Whether it's the suit he wore on the cover of The Beatles' Abbey Road LP, sketches drawn while he was at art college, his hair, or even his toilet seat, collectors can't get enough of John Lennon.

And the late Beatle's auction appearances have become even more frequent following his 70th birthday, and 30th anniversary of his death, last year.

Lennon's average autograph value rose by
756.1% over the last 10 years

Whereas other recent sales have focussed on costumes and autographs, sales firm MJQ Ltd's upcoming online auction is perfect not only for Beatles fans but also vintage recording buffs.

Ascot Record Studios is consigning a range of studio equipment to the May 11 sale.

This includes a microphone used by Lennon at his home studio in Tittenhurst Park, Berkshire, UK.

The sales' lots are expected to bring £300,000, overall. But Lennon's microphone should be especially coveted, being the only one used in the recording of his solo LP, Imagine.

Imagine is perhaps Lennon's most famous solo album (although a copy of his final LP, Double Fantasy, signed shortly before his assassination by Mark Chapman, remains the most valuable).

Other pieces going up for sale in the online auction include vintage tape machines, and even a coffee percolator used by Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, himself no stranger to the collectibles markets.

Boasting excellent build-quality, according to sale organised Hamish Jackson, the microphone is expected to bring £5,000 ($8,342).

Also for sale on the private markets from John Lennon's Tittenhurst Park home is this pair of large varnished wooden drumsticks - click here for more details

Jackson is no stranger to the investment potential of collectibles. As he told London's Evening Standard in a recent interview: "My father ran an auction in 1980 of stuff from Abbey Road."

"A roll of toilet paper which had property of EMI stamped on every sheet sold for £500. A few years ago, the same roll was on eBay for £30,000 [over $50,000]."

In August of last year, John Lennon's toilet seat from Tittenhurst Park sold at a Liverpool Beatles convention for $14,500.

Watch this space for more news on MJQ Ltd's sale.