“The Black Strat,” David Gilmour‘s fabled Fender Stratocaster guitar he played on so many classic Pink Floyd recordings and on stage, will be going on the auction block (again) in March.
The Floyd guitarist auctioned the instrument along with a bevvy of other guitars in June 2019 raising $21.5 million for ClientEarth, an organization that funds attorneys and other experts to fight climate change. The Black Strat alone sold for $3,975,000, purchased by Jim Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts.
Christie’s New York is now scheduled to sell it again as part of Irsay’s enormous collection going on the block following his death May 21. The collection will be auctioned over a series of events beginning in March.
Other instruments included in the auction were owned and played by all four Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Prince, Jerry Garcia, Bob Dylan, Kurt Cobain, Eddie Van Halen, Eric Clapton, Bo Diddley, Janis Joplin, Elton John, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Jim Morrison, and dozens more.
Gilmour bought the Black Strat at Mannie’s Music in New York City in May 1970, and played it extensively through the ’70s and into the ’80s on recording such as “The Dark Side of the Moon” (1973), “Wish You Were Here” (1975), “Animals” (1977) and “The Wall” (1979).
Free public exhibitions will accompany the sales at Christie’s, which is located at 20 Rockefeller Plaza. Read more about the auctions
