A collection of personal belongings from Gordon Lightfoot—including guitars, artwork, and prestigious awards—will be auctioned off, raising questions among fans about why these items weren’t preserved by a museum.
Texas-based Heritage Auctions is conducting the sale in collaboration with Lightfoot’s estate. The online auction is currently active and will culminate in an in-person event on Nov. 17, coinciding with what would have been the late musician’s birthday.
Among the items up for bidding are nine artist-signed paintings inspired by “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” which once adorned Lightfoot’s living room, along with a Rand McNally map of the United States marked with his tour stops.
The auction also features a selection of Lightfoot’s iconic outfits, amplifiers, his Canada’s Walk of Fame trophy, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame award he received in 2012 from Steve Miller.
Notably, some of the guitars included in the auction carry significant weight. His 1967 Gibson B45-12 Sunburst acoustic guitar, which appeared alongside Lightfoot on the cover of his 1974 album “Sundown,” is described as “a vital part of Lightfoot’s musical journey.”
Additionally, his 1975 Ed McGlincy acoustic guitar, likely a custom piece crafted by renowned luthier Ed McGlincy, is highlighted for its historical significance. The back of the guitar bears remnants of tape, suggesting Lightfoot used it to hold set lists or lyrics during performances.
Some fans have expressed dissatisfaction on Lightfoot’s Facebook page, arguing that the estate should have collaborated with Canadian cultural institutions to safeguard items belonging to such a historically significant artist. Requests for comments from members of Lightfoot’s estate went unanswered.
Garry Shrum, the director of music memorabilia at Heritage Auctions, noted that it’s not uncommon for fans to feel uneasy about the auctioning of their favorite artist’s belongings. “I get that a lot,” he stated.
He also mentioned that museums often bid on items in their auctions, with some acquiring pieces to loan to cultural institutions. Shrum encouraged fans who are conflicted to view the items online.
Following Lightfoot’s passing last year at age 84, there were significant efforts to honor his legacy in Canada, including proposals to name public spaces after him and hold tribute events, although many of these initiatives have not come to fruition.
Lightfoot’s friend and former manager, Bernie Fiedler, has said he was excluded from the planning of a tribute concert at Massey Hall earlier this year. Additionally, discussions in Lightfoot’s hometown of Orillia, Ontario, regarding a dedicated museum appear to have stalled. The city council had formed a working group to consult with the estate on memorabilia display, but no updates have been provided since an extension was approved last fall.
Shrum expressed surprise at the vast array of items available in Lightfoot’s collection, describing his mansion in Toronto’s affluent Bridle Path neighborhood as “like a museum.” He remarked, “Good for him that he didn’t throw this stuff away like a lot of people do.”
A second auction featuring Lightfoot’s “odds and ends,” mainly jewelry, photographs, and awards, will launch in mid-November and conclude on Dec. 7.
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