The banner from the Sex Pistols' 1977 jubilee boat party will sell at Sotheby's on December 10.

It's emblazoned "HMS Queen Elizabeth welcomes Sex Pistols/ their single God Save the Queen out now".

Sex Pistols performed on a boat during the Queen's jubilee celebrations in 1977

The infamous event (bankrolled by Richard Branson) saw the band launch into Anarchy in the UK outside the Houses of Parliament.

It ended with the arrest of several members of the band's management, including Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood.

Music journalist Tony Parsons wrote in the NME: "The scenes that occurred when invading cops broke up their Jubilee Day river party have left me with something that will remain long after the bruises have faded: it's unlikely that I will ever again be able to look at a member of Her Majesty's Metropolitan Police Force without feeling sick… after a token protest, we all went quietly into the night.

"Apart from McLaren, who came down the gangplank screaming in their faces."

The night resulted in a huge amount of free publicity for the band, just as McLaren had planned.

As Richard Branson said later: "God Save The Queen sales went through the roof and the band's place in rock 'n' roll history was confirmed."

The auction (titled From Folk to Fury) features a dizzying selection of pieces of rock and roll history, including a piano belonging to John Lennon and a set of Bob Dylan's handwritten lyrics to Blowin in the Wind.

We have a fascinating range of music memorabilia for sale.

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