A pair of John Lennon's trademark glasses and a guitar smashed by Kurt Cobain are going on sale at auction. The items, which are expected to fetch hundreds of thousands of pounds between them, are among 1,500 instruments and artefacts that will form the Idols: Rock ‘N’ Roll auction later this month.
Other artists whose possessions will be on sale for the Julien’s Auctions event in New York include Amy Winehouse, Tupac Shakur, Prince, Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley. Perhaps the most recognisable lot though will be Lennon's glasses.
The distinctive eyewear became synonymous with the Beatle, who died in 1980. The round wire-rimmed gold tone glasses, often referred to by Lennon as his “Granny” glasses, are expected to fetch 80,000 dollars (£70,000).
Elsewhere, a 1973 Fender Mustang owned, stage-played, smashed and signed by Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain during two US performances in 1989, will be on sale. During the second show at the Sonic Temple in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, on July 9, Cobain famously smashed the guitar to pieces across the stage during the finale performance of their hit song Blew.
“This rare and sensational artefact is emblematic of the grunge icon’s early years,” Julien’s Auctions said. “(It) makes this one of the quintessential and important Kurt Cobain guitars in rock history.”
The instrument was previously exhibited at Experience Music Project in Seattle, Washington, between 2007 and 2008 and is estimated at between 200-400,000 dollars (£170-350,000).
Winehouse’s beehive hair topper, worn during her performance of You Know I’m No Good and Rehab at the 2008 Grammy Awards ceremony is priced at up to 20,000 dollars (£17,000). At the ceremony the singer won five awards: Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal Album, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Vocal Performance.
Other items to be auctioned include a framed large-format black and white photo print with rap legend Shakur’s hand print, and Prince’s 1992 Kurt Nelson Cloud Model electric guitar from his personal collection. “Each year, Julien’s Auctions is honoured to assemble our exceptional Icons & Idols event that represents the rich legacy and chronicle of Rock N’ Roll music,” said Darren Julien, president of Julien’s Auctions.
“Thousands of pieces that were front row and centre of rock music’s most pivotal and shimmering moments from the titanic careers of Kurt Cobain, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Prince and more will be offered as well as new and rare iconography from the likes of Tupac Shakur, truly making this the auction industry’s marquee music auction event of the season.”
The three-day rock icons auction takes place from November 11 to 13 and will be held at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York.
