Eric Clapton’s iconic 1964 Gibson SG electric guitar, “The Fool,” and Kurt Cobain’s legendary blue left-handed Fender Mustang electric guitar, known as “Skystang I,” will take center stage at the upcoming rock artifacts auction hosted by Julien’s Auctions. This marks a remarkable moment in the history of rock ‘n’ roll. This outstanding event coincides with Julien’s Auctions’ 20th anniversary. They have arranged it to take place at the Hard Rock Cafe Nashville from November 16th to November 18th, 2023.
The three-day auction will undoubtedly delight music enthusiasts, presenting a vast collection of over 1,000 items. Among these illustrious figures are Kurt Cobain, 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, Slash, and Kirk Hammett, each contributing a piece of their musical legacy to this grand event.
The undeniable highlights of this auction are Eric Clapton’s “The Fool” and Kurt Cobain’s “Skystang I.” “The Fool” is praised as one of the most iconic, historically significant, and musically meaningful guitars ever. Crafted with the psychedelic touch of the Dutch art collective “The Fool,” this guitar was integral in Cream’s musical journey. Significantly, the guitar underwent sanding and priming before receiving brush-applied oil-based enamel paints. It solidified its status as an enduring symbol of the “Summer of Love” and the psychedelic era. This guitar’s impact has reverberated across countless book and magazine covers. It has been a subject of discussion in numerous articles and videos since its creation.
“The Fool” has a deep-rooted association with rock history, particularly involving Eric Clapton. He played this guitar during the majority of Cream’s recordings in the 1960s. Upon Cream’s disbandment, Clapton passed the torch to George Harrison, who subsequently passed it to Jackie Lomax. In the 1970s and 1980s, Todd Rundgren owned and performed with this iconic instrument, affectionately naming it “Sunny” after Cream’s timeless classic, “Sunshine of Your Love.” In 2000, “The Fool” found its present owner through an auction sale.
An important facet of this auction is that a share of the earnings from Eric Clapton’s “The Fool’s” sale will support “Kicking The Stigma,”. An initiative led by the Indianapolis Colts and Jim Irsay’s family, aimed at fostering awareness about mental health disorders. This philanthropic element adds a commendable dimension to the event.
The “Skystang I,” played by rock icon Kurt Cobain, earns acclaim as the most extensively documented and recognizable among all of the rock icon’s stage-played instruments. This electric blue Mustang guitar, making its auction debut. It coincides with the 30th anniversary of Nirvana’s third and final studio album, “In Utero.” Notably, it served as Kurt Cobain’s “workhorse” during most of Nirvana’s tour dates in 1993-1994. Former Nirvana guitar technician Earnie Bailey fondly referred to this guitar as the “workhorse.” Its journey began on October 18th, 1993, during the In Utero tour’s stage debut at the Arizona State Fair Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum. This remarkable guitar played a role in 53 of the 63 In Utero tour performances. It played an integral role in Nirvana’s final chapter, leading up to the band’s last performance on March 1, 1994, at Terminal 1 in Munich.
Prior to the Nashville auction, an exhibition tour is scheduled at the Hard Rock Cafe in Piccadilly Circus, London. The tour will run from Tuesday, October 17th to Sunday, October 22nd. It’s worth emphasizing that Julien’s Auctions gained worldwide attention when they auctioned Kurt Cobain’s MTV Unplugged 1959 Martin D-18E acoustic-electric guitar. It set a historic record by selling for an astounding $6 million in 2020. This remarkable sale secured the position of being the most expensive guitar ever sold at auction worldwide. This upcoming auction promises to be another remarkable chapter in the history of music memorabilia. These iconic guitars could potentially make history once more.
