Kurt Cobain’s guitar, the one he played in the iconic «Smells Like Teen Spirit» music video, is set to be offered at the Christie’s New York auction in March 2026, Antimusic reported.
The guitar Cobain called his favorite is the one being offered — the left-handed 1969 Fender Competition Mustang. The instrument is part of the Jim Irsay Collection — the late businessman, collector, and major music fan who had been gathering items related to the world’s legends.
The Jim Irsay Collection is one of the most well-known music collections, featuring instruments owned by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Jimi Hendrix, Prince, Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia, Eric Clapton, Janis Joplin and many others. A portion of this collection will be offered at auction for the first time in 2026.
Cobain’s guitar is one of the centerpieces of the sale. Its estimated price ranges from $2.5 million to $5 million. Ahead of the bidding, it will be available for viewing in Christie’s galleries at 20 Rockefeller Center.
Separately, in late October at Christie’s Paris the blue monochrome painting «California» by Yves Klein was sold for €18.4 million.
