Met recoveries a stolen guitar, once owned by a former Rolling Stone musician
The music world is abuzz with a heated dispute over a legendary guitar, nicknamed the "Keithburst". The guitar, a 1959 Gibson Les Paul, is at the center of a conflict between the Rolling Stones' former guitarist Mick Taylor and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
According to Mick Taylor's representatives, Taylor owned the guitar, which he received as a gift from Keith Richards in 1967. However, the Metropolitan Museum of Art refutes Taylor’s ownership claim, stating that although Taylor played the guitar, he never officially owned it.
The dispute stems from the belief that the guitar went missing during the sessions for the Rolling Stones' iconic album "Exile on Main St." in 1971 at Villa Nellcôte on the French Riviera. Taylor's camp asserts that the guitar disappeared after the burglary and resurfaced at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met) in 2025.
However, the Met maintains a different narrative. They claim that the guitar’s provenance is publicly well-documented, including an auction at Christie's in 2004 and display in a 2019 Met exhibition before becoming part of a large guitar donation from collector Dirk Ziff in 2025.
The provenance provided by the Met traces the guitar’s early ownership to John Bowen, who bought it in 1961 at Farmers Music Store in Luton, England. The guitar gained fame from Keith Richards’ use on the Stones’ 1964 Ed Sullivan Show performance.
The Met rejects Taylor’s narrative of theft and personal ownership, emphasizing a "long and well-documented history" that contradicts the story of the guitar being missing for decades.
| Aspect | Mick Taylor's Claim | Metropolitan Museum of Art's Position | |----------------------|------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------| | Ownership of “Keithburst” guitar | Purchased from Stones' road manager; owned while in Stones (1969–74) | Taylor never owned the guitar, only played it | | Theft claim | Guitar was stolen during 1971 burglary at Villa Nellcôte | Guitar was never stolen in 1971; provenance continuous | | Provenance record | Lost guitar until resurfacing at the Met in 2025 | Well-documented provenance since early 1960s, appeared publicly before | | Guitar’s history | Last seen in possession of Taylor until stolen | Used by Keith Richards on 1964 Ed Sullivan Show; auctioned and exhibited publicly |
The dispute remains unresolved publicly, hinging on conflicting accounts of ownership and the nature of the 1971 theft. The Met supports its claim with documented provenance and prior public displays, while Taylor’s representatives demand access to verify the guitar's provenance directly.
The "Keithburst" guitar, once played by two members of the Rolling Stones, has a rich history that continues to spark debates and fascinate music enthusiasts.
References: 1. The Guardian 2. Rolling Stone 3. NME 4. Metropolitan Museum of Art
The ongoing dispute revolves around the "Keithburst" guitar, with Mick Taylor asserting he owned the instrument after receiving it as a gift from Keith Richards in 1967, while the Metropolitan Museum of Art denies this claim. Taylor also believes the guitar was stolen during the Stones' burglary in 1971 at Villa Nellcôte, but the Met insists it had a continuous provenance. The museum supports its position with documented provenance and prior public displays, while Taylor's representatives push for direct verification. This captivating piece of pop-culture, once played by two Rolling Stones members, has garnered attention from entertainment outlets such as The Guardian, Rolling Stone, NME, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
