Julien's Auctions held "Icons & Idols: Rock N' Roll", the world-record breaking auction house to the stars' annual two-day music event on Friday, November 19 and Saturday, November 20, 2021 live in Hard Rock Cafe New York and online at JuliensAuctions.com in front of a global audience of music fans, investors and collectors bidding live in person, on the phone, and online. The sale for over 1,000 sensational artifacts and memorabilia owned and used by some of the world's legendary music artists of all time, including Eric Clapton, THE BEATLES, Elvis Presley, David Gilmour, Keith Richards, Eddie Van Halen, U2, GUNS N' ROSES, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Madonna, LED ZEPPELIN, and more brought in a total of nearly $5 million U.S. dollars.
Some of the most storied guitars in rock history ruled the stage once again with the sale of the 1968 Martin D-45 acoustic guitar, previously owned and stage-played by the legendary guitarist and rock icon Eric Clapton as the weekend's biggest moment. The instrument sold for an incredible $625,000, more than twice its original estimate which was used by the guitar legend of seminal bands THE YARDBIRDS, JOHN MAYALL'S BLUESBREAKERS, CREAM and BLIND FAITH, at the historic debut live concert performance of DEREK AND THE DOMINOS at the Lyceum Theatre in London on June 14, 1970. DEREK AND THE DOMINOS would later go on to write and record some of the most iconic songs of Clapton's career, including the classic ballad "Layla" whose handwritten lyrics on The Thunderbird Motel, Miami Beach, Florida, stationery also sold at the auction for $37,500. An off white Squier Stratocaster Fender Affinity Series electric guitar signed by THE YARDBIRDS band members Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton also sold for $16,000, eight times its original estimate.
Sensational guitars from U2 took the spotlight in the sales of The Edge's 1976 Gibson Explorer electric guitar, stage-played and photo matched selling for $437,500, the U2 legendary guitarist's concert used Gibson Les Paul Standard electric guitar selling for $96,000 and a 2005 Gretsch Irish Falcon model G61361 electric guitar, stage-played and signed by U2 frontman Bono on the neck of the guitar selling for $115,200.
A prized cream Fender Stratocaster Vintage '57 reissue electric guitar owned and stage played by David Gilmour took in $200,000. One of six vintage Stratocasters purchased in the mid-eighties by the legendary PINK FLOYD guitarist, the electric guitar was customized and set up to his personal specifications. Known as Cream No. 2 as a backup for Cream No. 1, the guitar was taken on the PINK FLOYD "A Momentary Lapse Of Reason" tours 1987, 1988, 1989 and at Knebworth in 1990 and PINK FLOYD's "The Division Bell" tour in 1994 as well as exhibited at Fender's exhibition in the USA in December 1993 and EMI's 1997 Music 100 exhibition in London. A custom-made black Fender Stratocaster electric guitar signed by Gilmour also sold for $51,200 with all proceeds of this sale going towards Teenage Cancer Trust.
The King Of Rock And Roll reigned the auction stage once again in the sale of his 1972 Martin D-28 acoustic guitar that was played by Elvis Presley during the mid-to late 1970s both on and off stage, which sold for $187,500. His show-stopping jewelry and wardrobe also made appearances in the sale of his black Fred Segal shearling leather jacket that sold for $43,750, his gifted 14K yellow gold ring centering an oval star sapphire (sold for $12,800), a Lord Elgin watch given to Presley by Jean and Julian Aberbach of Hill And Range Music Company (sold for $12,800), his sterling carved eagle silver ring (sold for $10,2400) as well as a page of Elvis Presley's "Jailhouse Rock" movie contract from March 12, 1957, signed by Presley which sold for $25,000, eight times its original estimate of $7,000.
Amy Winehouse's Fender Stratocaster electric guitar finished in Daphne Blue was another auction sensation which sold for $153,600. The five-time Grammy Award-winning retro-soul music superstar and pop diva played the guitar in many of her early performances, including the television show "Later... With Jools Holland" in November 2003 and in the 2003 video for "Take The Box". "The Property From The Life And Career Of Amy Winehouse" recently took in a record $4 million U.S. dollars for Julien's Auctions two-day event, the highest total amount of the icon's items sold at any auction. Her figure-hugging floral print white cotton ruched mini dress worn by Amy Winehouse while performing during the Oxegen Festival 2008 at Punchestown Racecourse, Naas, County Kildare, Ireland also sold for $21,875, seven times its original estimate of $3,000.
An EVH Fender "Frankenstrat" guitar stage played by guitar god Eddie Van Halen signed by him and his brother Alex Van Halen sold for $83,200. The historic ax, gifted to Kevan Hill, a childhood friend and first bandmate of Eddie and Alex Van Halen in their first band BROKEN COMBS in 1964, consists of a guitar strap attached to screw eyes, bicycle reflectors on the back used to reflect the stage lights, five VAN HALEN 2012 guitar picks taped on the body and an image of Eddie printed on metal.
Hard rock and heavy metal iconography made some noise as pieces such as the original artwork for the cover of the 1983 QUIET RIOT album "Metal Health" hand-painted by Stan Watts sold for $44,800 as well as the original metal "asylum" mask that Watts wore to create the iconic image sold for $50,000, six times its original estimate of $8,000. Other items rocking the auction stage (with winning bids) included: the 1989 MTV VMA Moonman presented to GUNS N' ROSES for "Best Heavy Metal Video" for "Sweet Child O' Mine" ($37,500); a 1964 Fender Precision Bass guitar stage-played by Cliff Williams during live concert performances with AC/DC ($50,000); an electric guitar, owned and used by Joe Strummer, who, according to prior owner and former manager Gerry Harrington, used it in the studio for the "Grosse Point Blank" soundtrack and on his solo 1989 album "Earthquake Weather" ($34,375); a custom-made 2007 Gretsch drum kit in black that was played by drummer Taylor Hawkins for FOO FIGHTERS and Dave Grohl, most notably with LED ZEPPELIN in London ($50,000); two NIRVANA concert set lists in Kurt Cobain's hand, one from a NIRVANA performance at Calton Studios in Edinburgh on November 29, 1991, along with a ticket and one on a tablecloth handwritten and signed by Kurt Cobain, additionally signed by Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and others (each $16,000); and others.
Other top highlights included (with winning bids):
* Iconic pieces from the Queen of Pop including a hot pink charmeuse silk headband with bow embellishment worn by Madonna in her iconic 1984 "Material Girl" music video which sold for an astonishing $28,125, fourteen times its original estimate of $2,000, her MTV Video Music Award Moonman Award presented to Madonna for "Best Female Video" of 1986-1987 for "Papa Don't Preach" ($22,400) and her charcoal grey skirt suit circa 1940s worn in her Golden Globe-winning role as Eva Peron in "Evita" ($10,000);
* A yellow vintage THE GERMS cropped t-shirt owned and worn by Belinda Carlisle of THE GO-GO'S which sold for an impressive $22,400, twenty-eight times its original estimate of $800;
* Keith Richards's red with gold embroidery and rhinestone cropped jacket worn on the "Get Yer Yas-Yas Out" album, as well as on stage during the infamous Altamont concert, where an audience member was stabbed to death by the Hell's Angels, and was featured in the Maysles Brothers documentary film "Gimme Shelter" ($38,400);
* A framed colorful rendition of a clown hand painted by Frank Sinatra on canvas in oil, and signed "Sinatra" ($56,250);
* A Duesenberg Starplayer TV-MC guitar owned and played by JJ Cale ($32,000);
* A custom Gibson Mastertone banjo owned and played by Jerry Garcia during his years with the OLD & IN THE WAY band and signed by Garcia and David Grisman ($22,400);
* A Custom Shop 50th-anniversary 1954 reissue Fender Stratocaster, made for Carlos Santana ($25,600);
* A cream-colored Fender Telecaster guitar from the 1990s, signed by THE ROLLING STONES members Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood, Charlie Watts and Keith Richards who has inscribed "Time Is On My Side" ($19,200);
* A custom Washburn PS2000 electric guitar personally owned, used, signed, and inscribed with handwritten lyrics by Paul Stanley ($25,000);
* Neal Schon's 1965 Fender Stratocaster Sunburst Solid Body Electric Guitar ($28,800) and 1962 Gibson Les Paul SG electric guitar ($31,250);
* A 1962 Britain pressing 7" record single of THE BEATLES "P.S. I Love You" signed by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr ($22,400);
* A pair of custom drumsticks owned by LED ZEPPELIN drummer John Bonham which sold for $28,125, fourteen times its original estimate of $2,000;
* A Gibson Les Paul custom 80th-birthday electric guitar with the custom serial number LP1915 referring to Paul's birth year ($57,600).
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