Instruments and other music memorabilia previously owned by The Beatles, David Gilmour, Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain and more are headed to auction in March.
The items are part of The Jim Irsay Collection — an assortment of instruments, sports items and pop culture memorabilia acquired over decades by Indianapolis Colts owner and CEO Jim Irsay, who died in May.
Christie’s will handle a series of auctions throughout 2026, with the first featuring over 400 items and running from March 3 to 17.
Among the items being sold: Paul McCartney’s handwritten lyrics to “Hey Jude”; the drumhead from the kit Ringo Starr used during The Beatles’ debut appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show; John Lennon’s 1963 Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120 guitar, used during the recording sessions for “Paperback Writer” and “Rain”; and George Harrison’s stage-played Gibson SG Standard guitar, used between 1966 and 1969.
Also included are Cobain’s 1966 Fender Mustang, used while recording Nevermind and In Utero and featured in the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video; David Gilmour’s Black Strat guitar, played on Pink Floyd albums including The Dark Side of the Moon; Eric Clapton’s 1939 C.F. Martin & Co. 000-42 guitar, used during his iconic MTV Unplugged performance; and Bob Dylan’s handwritten lyrics to “The Times They Are A-Changin’.”
Items from the auction will be on public display at Christie’s at Rockefeller Plaza in New York from March 6 through March 12. Select highlights will also go on tour, with stops planed in London, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
The auction will take place both live and online, with a portion of the proceeds going to philanthropic causes Irsay supported during his lifetime. More details on the auction and the items available can be found at Christies.com.
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