Kurt Cobain’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ Guitar Heads to Auction Alongside Beatles, Prince and Elton John Memorabilia
Society of Rock
A guitar closely linked to one of rock music’s most recognizable videos is set to headline a major auction in New York. The electric guitar played by Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain in the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” music video will be offered by Christie’s as part of a large sale featuring historic items from music, film, sports, and literature.
The left-handed 1969 Fender Competition Mustang is expected to sell for more than US$7 million when it goes under the hammer later this month. The instrument comes from the collection of late American businessman Jim Irsay and stands among hundreds of items tied to influential cultural figures.
Cobain’s Guitar and Its Place in History
Cobain purchased the blue Mustang shortly before Nirvana released Nevermind, the album that helped define early 1990s alternative rock. The guitar gained worldwide recognition through its appearance in the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video, which introduced the band to a global audience.
The instrument previously sold at auction in 2022 for $6.7 million ($US4.7 million), setting a record at the time as the most expensive electric guitar ever sold. However, Christie’s has clarified that research suggests the guitar was not used during the actual recording sessions for Nevermind. “It is likely that Cobain acquired the guitar in August 1991 before the video shoot,” a sales room notice stated.
Despite that detail, the guitar remains strongly tied to Cobain’s legacy. It was later used during recordings for Nirvana’s follow-up album In Utero and appeared in several live performances, surviving the musician’s well-known habit of destroying instruments on stage. “Kurt Cobain and his music defined a generation,” said Christie’s global president Alex Rotter. “His impact continues to inspire and permeate our culture.”
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A Collection Spanning Music History
Irsay’s collection includes nearly 400 items covering almost a century of popular culture. Among the standout pieces are guitars connected to major artists, including Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour’s famous “Black Strat” and the acoustic guitar Eric Clapton played during his 1992 MTV Unplugged performance.
The Beatles are heavily represented in the auction lineup. A stage-played “Rose-Morris” Rickenbacker guitar used by John Lennon is included, along with the first Ludwig drum kit Ringo Starr used with the band. “This simple kit was used on all the early Beatles recordings, and it’s on all the extraordinary tours and television shows that The Beatles did in their home country,” Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn told Christie’s. “The Beatles became famous on this kit.”
Additional instruments connected to Johnny Cash, George Harrison, Prince, and Janis Joplin will also be sold. Pianos once owned by Elton John and Lennon are expected to attract strong interest from collectors.
The Legacy of Jim Irsay and Other Rare Items
Jim Irsay, owner and CEO of the Indianapolis Colts NFL team, built the collection over decades. He took control of the franchise in 1997 and led it to a Super Bowl victory in 2006. Irsay died in his sleep in May 2025, with Forbes estimating his net worth at $US4.8 billion at the time.
The auction extends beyond musical instruments. The original typescript scroll of Jack Kerouac’s On The Road, typed on a continuous 36-metre roll of paper during a 20-day writing period in 1951, will appear for sale again after 25 years. Other notable items include the saddle worn by racehorse Secretariat during the 1973 Triple Crown, an Apple II manual signed by Steve Jobs, Sylvester Stallone’s handwritten Rocky script notebook, Hunter S. Thompson’s 1973 Chevrolet Caprice convertible known as the “Red Shark,” and the volleyball prop “Wilson” from the film Cast Away.
Nearly 400 pieces will be sold across four auctions at Christie’s New York, with online bidding beginning March 3 and Cobain’s guitar scheduled for sale on March 12.
