GARDENA, California – May 2, 2023: Kurt Cobain’s smashed Fender Stratocaster is displayed at Julien’s Auctions in Gardena, California on May 2, 2023, forward of Julien’s “Music Icons” public sale of over 1,200 objects from Rock and Roll historical past and unique artist collections.
FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP by way of Getty Images
Kurt Cobain’s smashed Fender Stratocaster guitar bought at public sale for $595,900, greater than 10 occasions its authentic estimate.
The Nirvana frontman’s iconic left-handed electrical guitar was smashed whereas the grunge pioneers have been making their seminal Nevermind album within the early Nineties. Reassembled however unplayable, it was anticipated to promote for between $60,000 and $80,000 on the Julien’s public sale on the Hard Rock Cafe in New York over the weekend.
It options the signatures of Nirvana’s three members — Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl — together with an inscription by Cobain addressed to the late Screaming Trees lead singer Mark Lanegan. According to Julien’s Auctions, Cobain gave the guitar to Lanegan throughout Nirvana’s Nevermind tour in 1992.
Cobain, who took his personal life in 1994 on the age of 27, was famend for his frenetic performances and smashed quite a few Stratocasters throughout his massively influential profession.
Nirvana’s handwritten set record from the band’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” debut efficiency in 1991 additionally bought on the identical public sale Saturday for $50,800, twelve occasions its authentic estimate.
The guitar Cobain performed throughout a legendary reside acoustic live performance on MTV Unplugged in 1993, simply 5 months earlier than his loss of life, was bought two years in the past for $6 million.
A trove of musical memorabilia bought over the course of the two-day Julien’s public sale, together with guitars performed by Bono and Eddie Van Halen, and Michael Jackson’s “Dangerous” World Tour jacket.