The legendary electric guitar famously used by David Gilmour throughout his career, known as the “Black Strat,” was sold at a Christie’s auction for a record-breaking $14.55 million USD. An unnamed buyer successfully secured the iconic instrument after a competitive bidding session lasting about 20 minutes. This sale surpassed the previous record set in 2020 when Kurt Cobain’s Martin guitar from the MTV Unplugged performance fetched $6.01 million.
Acquired by Gilmour in 1970 as a replacement for stolen equipment during a Pink Floyd tour, the black Fender Stratocaster became his primary guitar for various projects. Over the years, it underwent numerous modifications and was prominently featured during Pink Floyd’s Live 8 reunion in 2005 after being displayed at the Hard Rock Café.
After being auctioned by Gilmour in 2019 to raise funds for charity, the Black Strat was purchased by Jim Irsay, owner of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, for $3.975 million. The recent Christie’s auction, part of a series of sales from Irsay’s extensive music collection, showcased a variety of iconic guitars and memorabilia. This event marked one of four auctions this month featuring items from Irsay’s acclaimed guitar collection.
In addition to the Black Strat, several other guitars set new records at the auction, with five guitars making it to the top 10 list of the most expensive guitars ever sold. Notable sales included Jerry Garcia’s custom guitar, one of Kurt Cobain’s guitars, and two guitars previously owned by Eric Clapton. The auction concluded with all 44 lots sold, totaling over $84 million, including the auction house commission.