The first day of Julien’s Auctions’ popular two-day music auction John Lennon’s lost hootenanny guitar, which the iconic Beatle used for the 1965 Help! album, went for an astonishing $2.9 million at auction, making it the most expensive Beatles guitar ever sold at auction. The sale of the guitar, which was much anticipated, created history. At the Hard Rock Cafe in New York, the guitar was won through a phone auction.
Julien’s Auctions has shattered global records with the Beatles memorabilia sales. A record-breaking $2.4 million was paid for a previous John Lennon acoustic guitar, $2.2 million for Ringo Starr’s Ludwig drum kit, $2.1 million for The Beatles Ed Sullivan Show drumhead, and $790,000 for Ringo Starr’s Beatles White Album.
The Beatles’ Help! album and film, as well as many of their best hits from the 1960s, were recorded on Lennon’s famous Framus 12-string Hootenanny acoustic guitar, which was recently discovered in an attic after being thought to be lost for more than 50 years. It is also the most popular guitar in Beatles history, making it the most significant instrument to hit the market.
Today, Thursday, May 30, at 10 a.m. ET, Music Icons will continue both online and at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York. The Randy Bachman Collection, which includes more than 200 of his guitars, as well as a stellar lineup of historic artifacts used and owned by music icons like Michael Jackson, Prince, Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols, U2, and more, will be on display.
