Hendrix passed the jacket on to his friend

He said: "They started the craze for collecting and displaying rock 'n' roll memorabilia and they have one of the best collections in the world."

Barrie Lapins, acquisitions manager for the Hard Rock Cafe chain said that the Hendrix jacket was "up there with the best in the cafe's collection."

Other items for sale included the original text of the lyrics for George Michael's US Number One Hit, Faith, which went for �8,400, and a Dolce & Gabbana dress worn by Madonna on her 1992 Girlie Show Tour which fetched �3,120.

Prize acquisitions

The Hendrix jacket, which had been expected to fetch �20,000, came with a letter confirming that it was a gift from the guitarist who died of a drugs overdose on 18 September, 1970.

It was a present to his friend, Judith Vernon - the wife of Fleetwood Mac producer, Mike.

The auctioneer's rock 'n' roll specialist, Stephen Maycock, said: "What's good about this jacket is that there are quite a number of photos in existence of Jimi wearing it."

Maycock said the piece was originally made for a woman and would have cost just $10 (�7) in 1967.

The sale, which was Sotheby's fifth annual auction of rock 'n' roll memorabilia, included a total of 58 lots valued at more than �160,000.

Last year's sale saw John Lennon's Gallotone Champion acoustic guitar fetch �155,000.