Mr Pine, who was headlining at the Zodiac to promote his Devotion album walked into jazz specialists Allegro-Oxford in Marston on Saturday, January 31, to put two of his saxophones up for sale. One was snapped up on Tuesday, February 3, for £2,500.

Roger Baycock, owner of the Marston Road shop -- which is believed to be one of only two specialist stores of its kind in the UK -- said: "He is a pretty famous player and he came in to ask me if I would sell two instruments on his behalf. He spent two-and-a-half hours here, signing books for people and looking at different things."

Courtney, who was awarded an OBE in the 1999, is known for merging jazz with rap, hip hop and soul.

Allegro-Oxford had two star scoops last year.

It bought the tenor sax played by Tubby Hayes, a top jazz musician from the 1950s and '60s.

He led the Jazz Couriers with famous club owner Ronnie Scott, and played at Oxford's first jazz club, The Perdido, based where Alfred Street Gymnasium now stands.

The shop also supplied internationally renowned tenor saxophone player Tim Garland with a handmade Borgani saxophone.