An auction of the personal items and belongings of the late Johnny Cash and his wife June Carter Cash have surpassed the amount expected to be raised.

Over three days of heated bids in Sotheby’s, New York over $4m was raised from the sale of items such as guitars, jewellery, photographs and clothes.

One of the most expensive items sold was a 1986 Grammy Award, which finally sold for $187,000. The award was given to Cash for "Best Spoken Word or Non-Musical Recording", in recognition for his involvement with interviews recorded at a 1985 reunion of the great artists, a reunion that included the likes of Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and Rick Nelson.

Johnny and June Cash approached Sotheby's in 2000, after deciding to auction a number of their possessions. The Cash family continued these negotiations after the death of both their parents.

All proceeds from the auction will go to the Cash family estate.