Kurt Cobain’s guitar Smells Like Teen Spirit sold for 3.6 million pounds Celebrities

The cult guitar of Kurt Cobain “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was purchased by the owner of Indianapolis Colts Jim Irsey for 3.6 million pounds.

The bidding war pushed the price of the 1969 left-handed blue-and-white Fender Mustang, featured in Nirvana’s 1991 main grunge anthem, seven times higher than the auction price.

The 62-year-old Irsey, valued at $ 3.5 billion (£ 2.8 billion), is one of the most prolific guitar collectors in the world and has bought instruments owned by Elvis Presley, George Harrison, Prince, Bob Dylan and David Glimmer.

He said: “I am very excited to preserve and protect another piece of American culture that has changed our view of the world.”

Cobain’s guitar, case and strap were auctioned at Julien’s in California for £ 500,000.

The singer, who shot himself in 1994 at the age of 27 after battling heroin addiction, said of the ax in his latest interview with Guitar World: “I’m a lefty .

“But of all the guitars around the world, the Fender Mustang is my favorite. I only have two of them. “

Cobain had a daughter, model Francis Bean Cobain, 29, with his wife and frontwoman “Hole” Courtney Love, 57.

His estate said it is donating part of the proceeds from the sale to a mental health initiative run by Irsey called Kicking The Stigma.

Auctioneers have estimated the sale “once in a lifetime.”

Darren Julien, CEO of Julien’s Auctions, said: “To have this legendary guitar, one of Kurt Cobain’s most culturally significant and historically important guitars, and throughout rock music history return to Indiana to be part of Jim Irsey’s famous guitar collection things – a great honor and a personal moment of my life.

“This once-in-a-lifetime auction has been one of the greatest privileges of my professional career, and I am duly pleased that the proceeds will also bring much-needed attention to mental health awareness.”

Cobain’s acoustic guitar from the famous MTV Unplugged Nirvana 1993 session in New York City was previously sold at auction in June 2020 for a record £ 4.8 million ($ 6 million).

The 1959 Martin D-18E, which is known to fail regularly, was expected to receive up to £ 1.6 million ($ 2 million) at the online sale of Musical Icons at Julien’s auctions before he broke the record for the most expensive guitar.