Sotheby's to Auction Eddie Van Halen's Guitar with a Value of $2 Million.
In an exciting turn of events, Sotheby's has announced two significant pop-culture auctions set to take place during its inaugural "Grails Week" in New York. The event, which focuses on cultural trophies from music, film, television, and comics, will feature Bob Dylan's original working lyrics for Subterranean Homesick Blues and Eddie Van Halen's custom-built 1982 Kramer guitar.
The guitar, a refinement of Van Halen's famous "Frankenstein" design, is spray-painted in Van Halen's trademark red, black, and white abstract stripes. It was used on stage in Philadelphia, Caracas, São Paulo, and Buenos Aires, and after years of heavy use, the guitar was gifted to Van Halen's guitar technician. The technician later sold the guitar to Mick Mars of Mötley Crüe, and Mars recorded parts of Mötley Crüe's 1989 album Dr. Feelgood on the instrument.
Sotheby's head of luxury, Joshua Pullan, described the Van Halen guitar as "exactly the kind of piece we had in mind" for the Grails Week event. The guitar is estimated to sell for between $2 million and $3 million.
Meanwhile, Dylan's original working lyrics for Subterranean Homesick Blues are also set to be auctioned. The lyrics, handwritten on a piece of paper, are a rare glimpse into the creative process of one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.
The contraction in fine art auctions has forced auction houses to focus more on luxury and pop culture categories. Sotheby's created a Popular Culture department earlier this year to strengthen its presence in the expanding niche. Luxury goods now account for over a fifth of sales by value at the major auction houses, a record share.
Sotheby's has already made headlines this year with the sale of Ferris Bueller's sweater vest and other cinematic detritus to considerable fanfare. The Rolling Stones' original It's Only Rock 'n Roll album cover artwork will also be auctioned during Grails Week.
In recent years, Sotheby's has been known to auction rare comic books (e.g., copies of Action Comics #1 featuring the first appearance of Superman), iconic movie props and costumes (e.g., items from Star Wars, Marvel movies), limited edition sneakers and streetwear collaborations (e.g., Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1), high-profile music memorabilia (e.g., handwritten lyrics, instruments from legendary artists), and famous sports memorabilia (e.g., game-worn jerseys, signed equipment). For precise recent auction results, Sotheby's official website or auction archives would have the most accurate and up-to-date records of the top-selling pop-culture items.
The auction of Dylan's lyrics and Van Halen's guitar comes as fine art auctions have experienced a contraction, with sales at Christie's, Sotheby's, and Phillips falling by 44% in the first half of 2025 compared to 2022. However, the popularity of pop-culture collectibles continues to grow, with Sotheby's estimating that luxury goods will account for an even larger share of sales in the future. The auctions of these iconic pieces are sure to generate significant interest and excitement among collectors and fans alike.
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