Kurt Cobain's Smells Like Teen Spirit guitar in auction featuring The Beatles, Prince and Elton John
With four power chords, Kurt Cobain's Fender guitar took teenage angst mainstream. (Supplied: Nirvana)
In short:
The guitar played by Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain in the Smells Like Teen Spirit video is being auctioned by Christies in a treasure trove of pop culture items.
The left-handed 1969 Fender Competition Mustang has an estimated sale price of up to $7.14 million ($US5 million).
Also for sale are The Beatles drummer Ringo Starr's drum kit, guitars played by Johnny Cash, David Gilmour and Eric Clapton, and a saddle worn by champion US racehorse Secretariat.
The electric guitar Kurt Cobain played in Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit video is expected to sell for more than $7 million at auction in New York later this month.
The left-handed 1969 Fender Competition Mustang, which Cobain bought just before the release of the genre-defining album Nevermind, is among hundreds of items to be auctioned by Christie's from the collection of late American billionaire Jim Irsay.
The guitar previously sold at auction in 2022 for $6.7 million ($US4.7 million), making it the most expensive electric guitar ever sold.
There is just one caveat.
Kurt Cobain's left-handed Fender Mustang is the most expensive lot listed for sale. (Supplied: Christie's )
Christie's has acknowledged that recent investigations suggest the guitar was not used during the actual recording of Nevermind — meaning its place in rock history rests on the video, rather than the album.
"It is likely that Cobain acquired the guitar in August 1991 before the video shoot," a sales room notice stated.
Cobain's 1959 Martin D-18E is the most expensive acoustic guitar ever sold, with Australian Rode Microphones founder Peter Freeman buying it for $8.8 million in 2020.
The blue Mustang was used during the recording of Nirvana's follow-up album In Utero and in a selection of live performances — surviving Cobain's well-documented habit of smashing guitars.
"Kurt Cobain and his music defined a generation," said Christie's global president Alex Rotter.
"His impact continues to inspire and permeate our culture."
Nirvana — Kris Novaselic (left), Kurt Cobain and Dave Grohl — were key players in the grunge music revolution that went mainstream in the early 1990s. (Supplied)
What else is for sale?
Irsay's collection of nearly 400 items spans nearly a century of popular culture.
His guitar collection include's Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour famous "Black Strat" and the acoustic guitar played by Eric Clapton during his MTV Unplugged appearance in 1992.
A stage-played "Rose-Morris" Rickenbacker guitar belonging to John Lennon, and a custom "Tiger" guitar from Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia are also on offer with million-dollar price tags.
The Beatles are well represented throughout the auction.
The first Ludwig drum kit Ringo Starr used with The Beatles, cymbals and all, is on offer, as is the logo drum head from the band's historic appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show.
The Beatles logo with the "drop T" was eventually trademarked by the band. (Supplied: Christie's)
"This simple kit was used on all the early Beatles recordings, and it's on all the extraordinary tours and television shows that The Beatles did in their home country," The Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn told Christies.
"The Beatles became famous on this kit."
Guitars from Johnny Cash, George Harrison, Prince and Janis Joplin, as well as pianos belonging to Elton John and Lennon will also go under the hammer.
Who is Jim Isray?
Irsay was an American billionaire businessman, best known as the Owner/chairman/CEO of the Indianapolis Colts NFL team.
He took over the club from his father in 1997 and helped turn it into Super Bowl champions in 2006.
He died in his sleep in May 2025.
At the time of his death, Forbes estimated his net wealth at $US4.8 billion.
Jack Kerouac wrote his iconic On The Road on a 36-metre long scroll of taped-together paper. (Supplied: Christie's)
Is it just instruments?
In short, no.
The original typescript scroll of On The Road by Jack Kerouac will go under the hammer for the first time in 25 years.
Kerouac typed the novel on a 36-metre continuous roll of taped-together paper, without paragraphs or chapter breaks, during a a 20-day writing marathon in New York in 1951.
It is the most expensive literary manuscript ever sold at auction, fetching $US2.4 million in 2001.
Other highlights include the saddle Secretariat wore during the 1973 Triple Crown, an Apple II manual signed by Steve Jobs, Sylvester Stallone's handwritten script notebook from Rocky, and Hunter S. Thompson's 1973 Chevrolet Caprice convertible — the "Red Shark" featured in the film adaptation of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
The volleyball prop known as "Wilson" from the film Cast Away is also among the lots.
Secretariat's saddle includes four removable lead weights each inscribed Ron Turcotte, the name of the horse's jockey.
'Bargain' finds
The Irsay auction is extensive, but not everything is priced in the millions.
An illustrated print of Jesse Owens and John Woodruff at the 1936 Berlin Olympics is among lots estimated to sell for less than $300, alongside a guitar slide owned by Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh, a brochure on Islam signed by Muhammad Ali, and a signed photograph of golfer Ben Hogan.
A portion of the proceeds of the sales will be donated to philanthropic causes supported by Irsay during his lifetime.
Almost 400 items will be sold across four auctions at Christie's New York, with some online bidding starting from March 3
Cobain's guitar is among the Hall of Fame lots, which go under the hammer on March 12.