The grunge era and the subsequent music to follow would not have been possible without Kurt Cobain and Nirvana. For anyone who listened to his music after his suicide in 1994, and for anyone who enjoyed the music when it first launched in Seattle, the chance to own a piece of history is now possible courtesy of Julien’s Auctions.
The opening bid for Kurt Cobain’s Smashed Guitar, an Aria Pro II Cardinal Series, starts at $10,000 and is expected to go for at least $40,000. The natural wood finished guitar was played and smashed by Kurt Cobain at the Motorsports International Garage Show in Seattle, Washington on September 22, 1990. “Nirvana” is carved into what is left in the back of the neck, while the remnants of two strings remain on the front of the guitar. Footage of the concert shows Cobain playing the guitar in the last song, before smashing it to the stage, where it was later gifted to security worker Richard Newland. Owning a piece of musical history may happen on May 19th at 10:00am EST, when Kurt Cobain’s Smashed Guitar will once more change hands to the highest bidder.