“One of many excellent Beatles guitars ever to reach attend to the public sale block”: John Lennon’s misplaced Relieve! Framus 12-string has change into one of essentially the most costly guitars to ever sell at public sale

John Lennon’s Framus Hootenanny acoustic guitar, which was found in an attic after disappearing for 50 years, has change into one of essentially the most costly guitars ever offered at public sale.

The discovery of the 12-string guitar – renowned for featuring on the Relieve! recording sessions within the ‘60s – was offered closing month at an unveiling in London hosted by auctioneers, Julien’s Auctions.

On the time, Julien’s claimed the vintage Framus might perchance perchance build of dwelling a new world file for a guitar to be offered below the hammer, doubtlessly surpassing Kurt Cobain’s Martin D-18e, which offered for over $6,000,000 in 2020.

The Framus didn’t fairly reach those heights, nevertheless it did very with out grief produce it onto the checklist, having eventually offered after 20 bids for a whopping $2,857,000.

That figure makes the legendary Beatles instrument the fifth most costly guitar to dangle offered at public sale, usurping the $2.7 million ‘Attain Out to Asia’ Stratocaster and coming in within the attend of none as adversarial to Eddie Van Halen’s Sizzling For Trainer Kramer, which went for $3,932,000 closing 365 days.

Notably, it additionally turns into essentially the most costly Beatles guitar to head below the hammer – a mantle beforehand held by John Lennon’s $2.4 million Gibson J-160E.

Though the Framus was originally build of dwelling a highly conservative higher estimate of $800,000, all individuals who had an peer on the sale knew it would obtain a ways extra when the essential day of the public sale rolled around.

Apart from featuring on Relieve!, the Framus can additionally be considered within the Beatles movie of the identical name, and was historical for the band’s performance of You’ve Acquired To Masks Your Love Away. It was additionally acknowledged to had been historical on Lady, along with to the rhythm discover for Norwegian Wood.

It was historical broadly by most contributors of the Beatles throughout this decade – Lennon and George Harrison were both pictured enjoying the guitar – and was these days held by Ringo Starr, after Julien’s reintroduced the Beatle with one of many band’s most influential acoustics.

Because the legend goes, Lennon as soon as talented the Framus to Gordon Waller of Peter & Gordon, who in flip later gave the guitar to its pre-public sale owners. For the previous a protracted time, it has laid unplayed, and was left in hibernation till a family, who were transferring properties, stumbled upon it in their attic.

Julien’s was called to the scene, and the guitar was like a flash acknowledged as the Relieve! acoustic. 

Fortunately, it had remained in high condition, and was accompanied by its customary Maton case – which wanted to be salvaged from a skip throughout a “icy, darkish, wet March evening”, having originally been thrown out.

The guitar itself is a 5/024/12 flattop Hootenanny mannequin, and aspects a mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard, along with to a Trapeze tailpiece and rosewood bridge.

“This guitar occurs to be one of many excellent Beatles guitars and instruments ever to reach attend to the public sale block,” acknowledged Darren Julien on the unveiling. “It’s so principal, so historical. We idea this guitar was gone – we idea it was misplaced forever.”

Discover extra at Julien’s Auctions.

Julien’s will host the 2d and final day of its big Tune Icons public sale the next day (Could perchance 30). The exhibition entails a handful of other iconic guitars, including Prince’s Cloud 3, which is anticipated to sell for $600,000.