The iconic electric guitar known as the “Black Strat,” which David Gilmour used extensively throughout his career with Pink Floyd and as a solo artist, was sold for a record-breaking $14.55 million at a live Christie’s auction. The unnamed buyer acquired the instrument after a spirited bidding war that lasted around 20 minutes. This sale surpassed the previous record set at a 2020 Julien’s auction when Kurt Cobain’s Martin guitar from the MTV Unplugged performance sold for $6.01 million.
David Gilmour first acquired the black Fender Stratocaster in 1970 in New York as a replacement for Pink Floyd’s stolen equipment during a U.S. tour. Over the years, this guitar became Gilmour’s primary instrument, used on most of his recordings. The instrument underwent several modifications and customizations and gained fame when Pink Floyd reunited for Live 8 in London’s Hyde Park in 2005.
After being loaned to the Hard Rock Café for display, the Black Strat was put up for sale by Gilmour in 2019 to raise funds for charity. It was purchased by Jim Irsay, the owner of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, for $3.975 million. The recent Christie’s auction, featuring guitars and memorabilia from Irsay’s collection, marked one of four auctions this month showcasing the late music lover’s diverse guitar collection, often regarded as one of the best in the world.
In addition to the record-breaking sale of the Black Strat, four other guitars also made their way into the top 10 most expensive guitars ever sold at auction during the same event. These included Jerry Garcia’s custom guitar, which sold for $11.56 million, and one of Kurt Cobain’s guitars used in Nirvana’s albums and music videos, selling for $6.9 million. Two guitars associated with Eric Clapton, including a Cream-era Gibson SG and the Martin acoustic from MTV Unplugged, also joined the list of high-priced instruments.
All 44 lots offered at the auction were successfully sold, with the total sales reaching over $84 million, including the auction house commission.