David Gilmour’s guitar breaks record at auction

NEW YORK

The David Gilmour Guitar Collection, the largest and most comprehensive sale of guitars ever offered at auction, told the story of one of the world’s most influential guitarists. The 126 lots, which included iconic instruments played by Gilmour on Pink Floyd’s greatest tracks as well as his solo albums, totaled $21,490,750, the most valuable musical instruments sale in auction history.

In excess of 500,000 people viewed the content around the sale on Christies.com, and more than 2,000 bidders from 66 countries registered for the sale, which took place at Christie’s Rockefeller Center HQ in New York on June 20.

“The Black Strat,” which was integral to the recording of Pink Floyd albums “The Dark Side Of The Moon,” “Wish You Were Here,”  “Animals” and “The Wall”  (1979), was sold for $3,975,000, a new world record for a guitar at auction.

Immortalized for its part in legendary Pink Floyd tracks “Wish You Were Here” and “Shine on You Crazy Diamond,” Gilmour’s Martin D-35 was the next instrument to the block. The acoustic had an estimate of $10,000-20,000 but sold for $1,095,000, a new world auction record for C.F. Martin guitar.

The opening riff on “Wish You Were Here” was actually composed on another Martin acoustic, a D12-28 12-string guitar that Gilmour bought from a friend in 1974. The instrument was estimated at $5,000-10,000 but realized $531,000.

The star’s 1954 White Fender Stratocaster #0001 was sold for $1,815,000.

Further highlights included a 1955 Gibson Les Paul. Estimated at $30,000-50,000, it sold for $447,000, a new auction record for a Gibson Les Paul.

A little later, an incredibly rare Gretsch White Penguin 6134 purchased by Gilmour in 1980 for his private collection, also realized $447,000, a new auction record for a Gretsch.

On the eve of the sale Gilmour announced on social media that proceeds would be donated to the charity.

“The global climate crisis is the greatest challenge that humanity will ever face,” he wrote, “and we are within a few years of the effects being irreversible.”