The guitar played by Kurt Cobain in the video for Nirvana‘s 1991 hit ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ is set to be displayed in London ahead of going to auction.
As revealed last week, the left-handed 1969 Fender Mustang, in a Lake Placid Blue finish, will be up for grabs as part of Julien’s Auctions’ three-day Music Icons event, running from May 20-22 at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York as well as online.
Ahead of the auction, the guitar will go on display to the public for free later this month at the Hard Rock Cafe in Piccadilly Circus.
From April 28-May 3, fans will be able to see the guitar played in the legendary video before it is sold in the United States.
See opening times for the venue here, and watch the guitar in action in the ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ video below.
According to Julien’s, a starting estimate of $600,000 to $800,000 is expected for the guitar. Cobain spoke highly of Mustangs, calling them his favourite guitar in a ’91 interview with Guitar World.
“I’m left-handed, and it’s not very easy to find reasonably priced, high-quality left-handed guitars,” Cobain told the publication. “But out of all the guitars in the whole world, the Fender Mustang is my favorite.”
In a press statement, Julien’s Auctions president and CEO Darren Julien commented that it had been “one of our greatest privileges and most distinguished honors” to be able to auction the guitar.
“[It is] one of the most culturally significant and historically important guitars not only of Kurt Cobain and Nirvana’s legacy but in all of rock music history,” Julien said. “Rarely do personally owned items from Kurt Cobain with this incredible and unprecedented provenance of his life and career become available for public sale.”
In addition to the guitar, a 1965 sky blue Dodge Dart that Cobain owned and drove will also be auctioned, alongside its original license plates and a title showing ownership by Cobain and Courtney Love. Cobain’s sister Kim purchased the vehicle from Love following his death. That’s expected to go for between $400,000 and $600,000.
Numerous other items of Cobain’s will also be available, including a drawing of Michael Jackson by Cobain and a skateboard which Cobain drew Iron Maiden‘s mascot Eddie on. There’s also tour passes, a United Airlines boarding pass the singer used and more.
Last year, a self-portrait drawn by Cobain – which was also auctioned through Julien’s – netted over £200,000. Earlier that year, six strands of the Nirvana frontman’s hair sold for over £10,000.
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