The late Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain left behind an unquantifiable legacy, but his tools for doing so carry a substantial price tag. In October 2019, the cardigan worn by Cobain during his 1993 MTV: Unplugged set sold for $334,000. Julien’s Auctions sold a “smashed and autographed” 1973 Fender Mustang played by Cobain for $486,400 last fall.
And Julien’s Auctions was at it again over the weekend.
“Sold for $595,900. A lefty black Fender Stratocaster electric guitar, smashed by Kurt Cobain during Nirvana’s Nevermind era and signed to the body by all three band members,” the auction house captioned an Instagram post. “Sold in Julien’s Auctions ‘Music Icons’ at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City, May 19th – 21st and on julienslive.com.”
According to several outlets such as Billboard, Entertainment Weekly, and People, the guitar was initially listed at and estimated to go for $60,000.
“Beyond being played by Cobain before he smashed it, the reassembled but unplayable guitar was signed by all three members of Nirvana — Cobain, Krist Novoselic, and Dave Grohl — along with additional inscriptions to Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees) by Cobain that read: ‘Hell-o Mark! Love, Your Pal, Kurdt Kobain / Washed up rockstar,’” People relayed, citing Julien’s Auctions listing.
During the same “Music Icons” auction, Julien’s Auctions also sold an oversized Nevermind promotional poster for $10,400 as well as an autographed setlist “believed to have been handwritten by” Grohl for $50,800. The setlist was for a Nirvana performance at OK Hotel in Seattle on April 17, 1991.
See those items below.
Source: https://uproxx.com/indie/kurt-cobain-guitar-sold-half-million-auction/