The wrecked black Fender Stratocaster has been reassembled but is no longer suitable as an instrument as it cannot be played, Kody Frederick of Julien’s Auctions told AFP earlier this month.
The auction house said it expected the instrument to sell for $60,000 at the public auction held at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York. However, it was sold for $595,000, Julien’s said in a statement.
“On stage, when he played, Kurt Cobain was a machine,” Frederick said.
Nirvana’s hits, many of which were written by Cobain, they included “Come As You Are,” “Lithium” and “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” a track that became an anthem for a generation of teens. Cobain committed suicide in 1994.
In 2020, the same firm had auctioned off the iconic acoustic guitar with which Cobain played in the famous Nirvana unplugged, his farewell letter before committing suicide.
The instrument sold for $6,010,000, almost six times the stipulated price.
Catalogue
In addition to Cobain’s battered instrument, the “Music Icons” auction will include 1,200 objects that belonged to great stars in the history of rock and roll.
For example, there is a Gretsch guitar used by Bond at a U2 recital, estimated to be worth between $100,000 and $200,000.
Also for sale is a manuscript of Jimi Hendrixwith his autograph. Buyers are estimated to pay between $60,000 and $80,000.
Another of the goods to be highlighted is a golden sack that belonged to David Bowie as part of their “Golden Years”. Its initial price ranges between US$20,000 and US$30,000.
There will also be items that belonged to The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Amy Winehouse and Freddie Mercury, among other figures.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
