A guitar once strummed by John Lennon has shattered records as the most expensive instrument owned by a Beatle ever sold at auction.
The Framus 12-string Hootenanny acoustic guitar fetched an astounding US$2.9 million (RM13.6 million) through a telephone bid at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York.
This guitar, believed lost for over half a century, emerged from an attic. It played a significant role in Lennon’s recordings for the Beatles’ 1965 album Help! and its accompanying film, contributing to some of the band’s most iconic hits of the 1960s.
Julien’s Auctions, a renowned rock & roll memorabilia auction house, handled the sale, known for breaking world records with Beatles items.
“We are thrilled and honored to have set a new world record with the sale of Lennon’s lost Hootenanny guitar,” said David Goodman, CEO of Julien’s Auctions. “This guitar is not only a piece of music history but a symbol of Lennon’s enduring legacy.”
After its tenure with the Beatles, the guitar was owned by Scottish guitarist Gordon Waller, half of the pop duo Peter & Gordon. Later, Waller gifted it to his band’s road managers. Decades later, it resurfaced in the rural British countryside.
Upon its discovery, experts Andy Babiuk and Beatles historian Danny Bennett confirmed its authenticity as Lennon’s instrument.
This sale surpasses the previous record set by another of Lennon’s guitars, a long-lost Gibson J-160E acoustic guitar, which sold for US$2.41 million at Julien’s Auctions. Other notable sales of Beatles memorabilia include Ringo Starr’s Ludwig drum kit, which sold for US$2.2 million, and a copy of the White Album owned by him.
