A guitar once owned by the late John Lennon, thought to be lost for fifty years, has shattered the auction record for a Beatles-related instrument. The 1964 Framus 12-string Hootenanny acoustic guitar, used by Lennon on the Beatles’ 1965 album “Help!,” sold for $2,857,500 (P167 million) via a telephone bid during an auction at New York’s Hard Rock Cafe, conducted by Julien’s Auctions.
This sale not only sets a new record for Beatles memorabilia but also makes the guitar the fifth-most expensive guitar ever sold.
Darren Julien, co-founder of Julien’s Auctions, traveled to the United Kingdom to authenticate the guitar after it was discovered in an attic, along with its original case, which had been discarded.
The guitar was initially found by a 90-year-old man who worked as the road manager for the ’60s duo Peter and Gordon. Lennon had given the instrument to Peter and Gordon in 1965, who then passed it to their road manager.
“This guitar is not only a piece of music history but a symbol of John Lennon’s enduring legacy,” said David Goodman, auctioneer chief executive, in a statement. “The unprecedented sale is a testament to the timeless appeal and reverence of the Beatles’ music and John Lennon.”
Other notable Beatles memorabilia sold at auction include another Lennon guitar for $2.4 million (P140 million) and a Ludwig drum kit belonging to Ringo Starr for $2.2 million (P129 million).
