NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Last week, Julien's Auctions traveled to Nashville for its latest auction, Played, Worn, & Torn: Rock ‘N’ Roll Iconic Guitars And Memorabilia. Over four days, more than one thousand lots hit the auction block ranging from the iconic (think Michael Jackson'sstage-worn 'Dangerous' world tour jacket) to the ordinary (Johnny Cash fan club magazines).
Scoring the highest bid was a custom-painted guitar played by Eric Clapton while he was on tour with the rock band Cream. At $1,270,000 — the 1964 "Fool" Gibson SG electric is now the most expensive Clapton guitar ever sold at auction.
Other big bids included a pristine 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard Sunburst at $585,000 and several items connected to late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain:
- Cobain's "Skystang I" Fender Mustang electric guitar sold for $1,587,500
- Smashed Fender Stratocaster electric guitar signed by members of Nirvana for $476,250
- A pair of Levi's worn by Kurt Cobain at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards for $412,750
While guitars and celebrity-worn clothing seem like typical collector's items, here are a few... unusual finds that fetched more than one thousand dollars.
Elvis Presley's 1974 karate association "gold card" presented to 'The King' upon his promotion to 8th degree black belt sold for $5,850.
Elvis Presley's 1974 sleeping pills prescription bottle. The empty bottle of Dalmane filled by a Memphis Walgreens sold for $10,400.
Kurt Cobain's unopened American Spirit cigarettes left behind at a Los Angeles rehabilitation facility ultimately sold for $5,200.
A signed piece of a speaker diaphragm used on stage by Jimi Hendrix in 1967 sold for $3,900. The lot included a Marconi loudspeaker valve part of Jimi's speaker setup.
Johnny Cash's Exxon charge card sold for $3,250.
Cher's wig she wore to the 2003 screening of Stuck On You sold for $1,300.
A piece of the fuselage from Lynyrd Skynyrd's airplane that crashed in Mississippi on October 20th, 1977. The item was recovered by Dwain Easley, a man whose farm adjoins the area of the crash. According to Julien's Auctions: "Easley was the first responder to enter the plane and lead the rescue, saving 20 lives that evening." The piece sold for $1,040.
Above images courtesy julienslive.com .
