Event Details

IN CELEBRATION OF ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY AS THE INDUSTRY’S LEADING ROCK N’ ROLL AUCTION HOUSE, JULIEN’S AUCTIONS HAS ANNOUNCED ITS MOST EXTRAORDINARY LINEUP OF MARQUEE ITEMS TO DATE FEATURING TWO OF THE MOST IMPORTANT GUITARS EVER TO BE OFFERED AT AUCTION – ERIC CLAPTON’S “THE FOOL” AND KURT COBAIN’S “SKYSTANG I”. “PLAYED, WORN, & TORN: ROCK ‘N’ ROLL ICONIC GUITARS AND MEMORABILIA” IS TAKING PLACE BEGINNING WITH A SPECIAL EVENING SESSION I ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH AND TRADITIONAL DAY SESSION I ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH AND SESSION II ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH LIVE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MUSIC CITY AT HARD ROCK CAFE® NASHVILLE AND ONLINE AT JULIEN’S LIVE.

View and Bid on Julien's Live
The acclaimed auction house has amassed over 1,000 historic items owned and used by a lineup of music legends that includes Kurt Cobain, Nirvana, Eric Clapton, Elvis Presley, Prince, The Beatles, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Janis Joplin, Pete Townshend, Johnny Cash, Albert King, Dolly Parton, Eddie Van Halen, Frank Zappa, Dee Dee Ramone, Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees, Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols, Slash from Guns N’ Roses, Bono from U2, Kirk Hammett of Metallica, and more.





Headlining the auction stage will be one of the most immediately recognizable, historically and musically important guitars of all time, from the towering icon whose influence shaped rock history and the sound of classic rock and roll itself: Eric Clapton. This circa 1964 Gibson SG electric guitar, first stage-played by the legendary guitarist while touring the United States with iconic rock band Cream, is famously known as Clapton’s “Fool”.

A portion of the auction proceeds from The Fool will benefit “Kicking The Stigma”, the Indianapolis Colts’ and the Jim Irsay’s family wide-reaching initiative to raise awareness about mental health disorders and to end the stigma too often associated with these illnesses.

At the center of Session II and Session II for this auction will be the legendary “Skystang I” guitar played by Kurt Cobain during his final public performance during Nirvana’s 1993-1994 In Utero tour.



This blue left-handed Fender Mustang electric guitar is the most well-documented and recognizable of all of the rock icon’s stage played instruments and is being offered for the first time at auction on the 30th anniversary of Nirvana’s third and final studio album, In Utero.

A portion of the auction proceeds from “Skystang I” will benefit “Kicking The Stigma”, the Indianapolis Colts’ and the Jim Irsay’s family wide-reaching initiative to raise awareness about mental health disorders and to end the stigma too often associated with these illnesses.

An Historic Vintage Guitar Collection

A stunning collection of some of the world’s finest and historically significant vintage guitars will be offered at this once in a lifetime auction. A 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard sunburst electric guitar is one of the exceptional highlights spanning multiple auction days.

Top Sale Highlights

Rock and Roll royalty will reign on the auction block with the one and only King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. The King’s most sensational items will be offered such as a fully-restored 1977 Lincoln Continental Mark V that was personally owned and driven by Presley.

Another incredible vehicle revving up the auction is an original 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray owned and driven by Guns N’ Roses legendary guitarist Slash. In an article with Vette Magazine, Slash noted that he purchased this particular car during the rise of Guns N’ Roses in 1988, making it one of his first big purchases with the band.

Julien’s will pay tribute to one of rock’s most daring iconoclasts with the exclusive single artist collection of Frank Zappa, the radical rock pioneer and provocateur whose legendary oeuvre spanned from the 1960s to 1990s. The marquee highlight from this collection is Frank Zappa’s Gibson ES5 Switchmaster, the first guitar he purchased and owned and used to record his first three albums. Zappa’s collection will also kick off in our evening session but span across the sale event.

Punk rock’s greatest cult figures will be represented in the auction of Dee Dee Ramone’s most iconic pieces. Highlights include the bassist, songwriter and founding member of the Ramones’ signature wardrobe, jewelry, shoes, sunglasses and more.

Country Music’s greatest legends and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted artists, Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash, will be honored at this auction event with stellar highlights such as:

• a trio of showstopping capes, custom made and worn on stage by Dolly Parton during the 1970’s made of sheer chiffon with dolman sleeves, sequin embellishments, and scalloped handkerchief hems and
• a Gibson Epiphone PR325S acoustic guitar that was played by Johnny Cash at a dinner with Joaquin Phoenix, who would later go on to play the Man in Black in his Academy-Award nominated portrayal of Cash in the 2005 film Walk the Line

A pantheon of Rock’s all-time greatest guitarists and their axes are here including:

• Maurice Gibb’s stage and studio-played and band signed 1970 Rickenbacker 4001 Mapleglo electric bass guitar, used exclusively by Gibb to record all of the legendary Bee Gees tracks appearing on the historic Saturday Night Fever soundtrack album
• Eddie Van Halen’s signed, personally striped Silver/Black Charvel guitar (nicknamed “Stealth,” one of 6 stealth versions of the 300 he striped) that he played on stage May 11, 2012 in Edmonton Alberta
• Kirk Hammett’s studio-played 1967 Fender Telecaster in Candy Apple Red which the Metallica legend claimed “lived in the control room of our ‘HQ’ for about 3 yrs., it was my go-to guitar in the studio for working music parts out...”
• John McVie’s 1980s Kramer Ferrington ElectroAcoustic bass guitar used with Fleetwood Mac for their official music videos for “Little Lies” and “Seven Wonders”
• Rick Nielsen’s owned and stage-played 1982 Gibson Modrene electric guitar used with Cheap Trick
• an Ovation Acoustic guitar played on stage by both Steve Clark and Phil Collen in Def Leppard’s “Hysteria” world tour
• Richie Sambora’s 1996 Eric Clapton Signature Fender Stratocaster used on Bon Jovi’s “The Crush Tour”
• Pete Townshend’s stage-played, smashed and signed 1965 Fender Stratocaster guitar piece
• Albert King’s stage played “Lucy” 1988 Flying V style custom electric guitar gifted to the Blues icon on his 65th birthday by ZZ Top legend Billy Gibbons
• Dizzy Gillespie’s owned and played Matin Committee trumpet and more

Other exceptional highlights include:

• Janis Joplin’s amber ring stage-worn at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival
• Prince’s handwritten The Rainbow Children lyrics manuscript consisting of over 40 pages of working lyrics and storyline notes in multi-colored ink for Prince’s 2001 jazz-themed concept album discovered inside of a promo booklet for his previous album Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic
• Prince’s “Musicology” tour stage worn suit
• A Wurlitzer model 1015 juke box previously owned by John Lennon and kept in the “Club Room” of his New York City apartment at The Dakota
• The Beatles walkie-talkie and dagger umbrella props from their classic 1965 film Help!
• Johnny Rotten’s handwritten lyrics to “Holidays in the Sun” and “Submission,” two tracks appearing on the Sex Pistols’ 1977 debut album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols
• Sinead O’Connor’s “Access All Areas” personal artist credentials/badge laminate issued to her and worn on stage at her performance at the Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration in 1992, just two week’s after her Saturday Night Live appearance – she was booed and jeered after she was introduced by Kris Kristofferson and she bravely shouted the lyrics to Bob Marley’s “War” in defiance of those who attempted to silence her; she thew these credentials to the ground after leaving the stage

View and Bid on Julien's Live

---