*Los Angeles, California – Julien’s Auctions held MUSIC Icons, the world-record breaking auction house to the stars’ annual three-day music extravaganza on Friday, June 11th, Saturday, June 12th and Sunday, June 13th 2021, attended by a global audience of music fans, investors and collectors bidding live in person, on the phone, and online for over 1,000 coveted pieces of music history at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills and online at www.juliensauctions.com.
A marquee lineup of instruments, memorabilia, wardrobe and personal property owned and used by the greatest 20th and 21st century’s pop culture icons from rock and roll, pop, soul, R&B, rap and beyond dazzled the podium including Prince, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Kurt Cobain, The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Elton John, Cher, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Jimi Hendrix, Bernie Taupin, Tom Petty, Tupac Shakur, Whitney Houston, The Doors, Little Richard, and others.
The sale of a fascinating and rare piece of art from one of rock music’s most signature artists of all time-Kurt Cobain-was one of the weekend’s biggest moments. A self-portrait caricature drawing done in black felt pen on TNT Music Centre [sic] in Singapore stationery by the charismatic front man of the group Nirvana depicts himself playing the guitar and is signed “Kurdt Kobain Rock Star” and handwritten on the right, “I don’t know how to play and I don’t give a hoot!” sold for an astounding $281,250, twenty-eight times its estimate of $10,000. Cobain gifted the drawing to Jacque Chong, a freelance photographer who worked with Cobain during Nirvana’s Nevermind album promotional tour in Singapore in 1992.
Other Nirvana items from the Nevermind era sold at auction included a purple DOD FX69 Grunge distortion guitar effect pedal played by Kurt Cobain while performing with Nirvana at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego, California, on December 29, 1993 which sold for $16,000; an original setlist for Nirvana handwritten by Kurt Cobain in preparation for the band’s live concert on April 20, 1990 at the Olde Club in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania which includes the song “Imodium” which was first recorded in the studio that same month and later renamed “Breed” for inclusion on the Nevermind album, which sold for $16,000; plus, Cobain’s guitar pick, a Nirvana signed electric guitar, Rolling Stone magazine cover of Nirvana and more.
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A sensational 1994 blue Cloud guitar made by Andy Beech and commissioned and owned by music titan Prince rocked the stage once again. This iconic instrument whose design is instantly synonymous with the rock royalty of Prince sold for $281,250, nearly five times its original estimate of $60,000 and includes a “Paisley Park” inventory tag on the neck plate, a hard case with a laminated tag that reads: “PRN Productions and a pickup cavity of the guitar signed by Prince’s former guitar tech, Zeke Clark with “Zeke for [love symbol] Prince” as well as printed receipts and a tag showing the guitar was flown to London on Northwest airlines with a final destination at London’s Gatwick airport, was ordered through the N.P.G. pop-up store at 21 Chalk Farm Road in London on June 29, 1994, originally for £3,500. A white Schecter cloud guitar, custom-built in the mid-1990s for Prince and Paisley Park Retail Inc. also sold for $50,000.
Bursting onto the auction stage for the first time was legendary drummer, Alex Van Halen’s custom designed Ludwig drum kit which sold for $230,400. One of the most coveted drum kits in music history, the kit was played on over 100 shows of Van Halen’s 1980 Invasion tour and displayed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for 5 years.
The “Rocket Man” Elton John dazzled the auction stage with the sale of a glossy red Yamaha Elton John Signature Series C-1 Baby Grand Piano signed by John together with a matching high gloss red bench which sold for $150,000. The Yamaha Elton John Signature Series Piano Series was released in 2005 to commemorate Elton John’s concert residency at the Colosseum, Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas that took place between 2004-2009. Items displaying Elton John’s showstopping style and fashion were also top sellers with his pair of 1974 stage worn red, white and blue striped prescription glasses with lightly tinted blue lenses selling for $35,200, nearly nine times its original estimate of $4,000; a tangerine-orange polyester jumpsuit adorned with thousands of black and white sequins in a piano keyboard motif worn onstage by the Elton John at the Tucson Community Center Arena on October 1, 1975 ($16,000); as well as signed, handwritten lyrics by Bernie Taupin for Elton John’s hit single, “Candle in the Wind” ($76,800) and more.
One of Cher’s most signature looks –a black jersey and net cut out bodysuit and matching black motorcycle jacket immortalized in her iconic hit song and music video, “If I Could Turn Back Time” returned to the auction stage once again and sold for $115,200. The figure-hugging shiny black jersey cat suit with mesh filled cutouts and is embellished with constellations of pink and white iridescent glass in metal casing, along with a matching black motorcycle jacket was designed by legendary designer Bob Mackie and was worn by the pop diva during numerous concert performances including Cher’s The Farewell Tour in 2002 and her tour in 2014. The buyer of the costume later loaned it to Cher so she could wear it to the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards when she presented the “Best Video of the Year” to Lady Gaga, who wore a dress composed of meat. It was originally sold by Julien’s Auctions in Property From the Collection of Cher auction in 2006 for $60,000.
Five Charvel EVH Art Series electric guitars designed, hand striped and played by Eddie Van Halen also joined his brother Alex’s drum kit on the auction stage including the last of the late legendary rock guitarist’s stage played Charvel legendary EVH guitars. The “Last One!” Stealth black body with a silver hand-striped designed by Van Halen, possibly in tribute to his EVH Wolfgang guitar, played on stage with Van Halen at Kansas City Sprint Center, on May 22, 2012 sold for $51,200. Other Eddie Van Halen Charvel EVH Art Series electric guitars sold this weekend include (with winning bids): a red guitar with a unique black and white hand-striped design by Van Halen that pays homage to his legendary ‘Frankenstein’ Mark II guitar—and is uniquely numbered “5150”—the name of EVH’s recording studio (and also the date that he played this guitar), signed and inscribed by EVH ($40,625); a black guitar with a unique, yellow hand-striped design by Van Halen in tribute to his “Bumblebee” guitar, signed and inscribed with a black custom EVH tour flight case, a photograph of EVH playing the guitar live on stage with Van Halen at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, Paradise, NV, on August 7, 2004, a certificate of authenticity signed by Van Halen, two “VH” guitar picks, a ticket from the show, a corresponding backstage pass, and a Mandalay Bay hotel room key card ($38,400); a yellow guitar with a unique, black hand-striped design by Van Halen in tribute to his “Bumblebee” guitar, signed and inscribed in black sharpie: “Des Moines IA. / 2.6.08 / Eddie Van Halen / Van Halen 2008” that comes with a black custom EVH hard case, a photograph of Eddie playing the guitar live on stage with Van Halen at Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, IA on February 6, 2008 ($38,400); and a black body with a unique, yellow hand-striped design by Van Halen in tribute to his “Bumblebee” guitar with the words: “Las Vegas” partly visible under the bridge, signed and inscribed in silver sharpie: “Las Vegas NV. / 12.30.07 / Eddie Van Halen / Van Halen 2007,” with a black custom EVH hard case and a photograph of EVH playing the guitar live on stage with Van Halen at MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas on December 30, 2007, the last date of the first leg of Van Halen’s 2007/08 tour ($41,600).
Another sensational drum kit from one of rock and roll’s most notorious bands, KISS. played by the legendary drummer Eric Singer also made a grand appearance and sold for $75,000. The Pearl drum set, that was custom made for the first-ever KISS Vegas residency and played on other high-production shows such as the KISS & Def Leopard tour, features blazing LED lights inside the drums that ran in synchronization with the KISS light show.
Other auction highlights (with winning bids) included: a Cort GA-MEDX OP acoustic guitar played and signed by both Paul McCartney and Idris Elba during a BBC1 interview on December 19, 2020 ($22,400); a John Grey & Sons Broadway tom-tom drum featuring white with chrome hardware-owned and used by Paul McCartney in the late 1950s ($25,000); an original brick from studio number two at the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London used for recording by The Beatles ($16,000); items from the Rolling Stones including a Ronnie Wood custom Fender Stratocaster painted with a variation of one of Wood’s most famous works of art, “Conversation Piece” ($25,600), a stage worn green Mick Jagger coat ($16,000), a 1975 Andy Warhol Mick Jagger screenprint ($12,800) a UK promotional folding cardboard self-standing display “standee” of Mick Jagger for the Rolling Stones’ 1971 album Sticky Fingers ($10,240) and more; a sheet of notebook paper with handwritten lyrics in pencil by Rick James for his hit single, “Super Freak” ($31,250); a 14K yellow gold Omega watch with 14K yellow gold Milanese mesh bracelet gifted from Elvis Presley to his father Vernon Presley ($25,000); an acrylic on canvas painting of a clown – executed and signed by Frank Sinatra ($35,200) and an oil on canvas painting of a clown with balloons-executed, signed and dated “’88” by Frank Sinatra ($32,000); Tommy Lee’s custom Yamaha G1 Baby Grand Piano with a hand painted and parcel-gilt decorative Florentine scroll finish and matching bench gifted by Pamela Anderson ($28,800); a Gene Simmons Punisher “Blue Dragon” signature bass painted by Gentry Riley and signed by Gene Simmons ($16,000); the original five-piece Premier brand drum kit in red sparkle finish used by Clem Burke on numerous classic Blondie recordings, such as “Heart of Glass,” “Call Me,” and “One Way or Another” ($41,600); a 1995 Fender Telecaster stage-played and signed by Tom Petty ($37,500) and more.
Julien’s Auctions is the world record-breaking auction house to the stars. Collaborating with the famous and the exclusive, Julien’s Auctions produces high profile auctions in the film, music, sports and art markets. Julien’s Auctions has received international recognition for its unique and innovative auction events, which attract thousands of collectors, investors, fans and enthusiasts from around the world. Julien’s Auctions specializes in sales of iconic artifacts and notable collections including Marilyn Monroe, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Lady Gaga, Banksy, Cher, Michael Jackson, U2, Barbra Streisand, Les Paul, Neil Young, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Jimi Hendrix, Hugh Hefner and many more. In 2016, Julien’s Auctions received its second placement in the Guinness Book of World Records for the sale of the world’s most expensive dress ever sold at auction, The Marilyn Monroe “Happy Birthday Mr. President” dress which sold for $4.8 million. Julien’s Auctions achieved placement in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2009 for the sale of Michael Jackson’s white glove, which sold for $480,000 making it the most expensive glove ever sold at auction. In 2020, Julien’s Auctions received its third Guinness Book of World Record placement for the sale of Kurt Cobain’s “MTV Unplugged” 1959 Martin D-18E acoustic-electric guitar, which sold for $6 million making it the world’s most expensive guitar ever sold at auction. Based in Los Angeles, Julien’s Auctions has a global presence bringing their auctions and exhibitions to targeted destinations worldwide including London, New York, Las Vegas, Japan and China. Live auctions are presented for bidders on-site and online via live streaming video and mobile technology. For more information on Julien’s Auctions, go to www.juliensauctions.com. Connect with Julien’s Auctions at www.facebook.com/JuliensAuctions or www.twitter.com/JuliensAuctions or www.instagram.com/juliens_auctions.
source: Homepage PR and Julien’s Autions
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