Kurt Cobain’s ‘Teen Spirit’ Guitar and Ringo Starr’s Ed Sullivan Drums to Headline Auction of Jim Irsay Collection
Some of the most historically significant instruments in rock music will soon change hands.
Christie’s has announced that major pieces from the late Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay’s celebrated music and cultural archive will be offered at auction this March, including Kurt Cobain’s Fender Mustang from the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video and the Ludwig drum kit Ringo Starr played during the Beatles’ landmark 1964 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. The sale follows Irsay’s death in May 2025 and marks the most significant dispersal of his collection to date.
Known as the Jim Irsay Collection, the archive encompasses more than 400 artifacts spanning music, sports, literature, and American history. Before the auctions, the collection will be displayed publicly at Christie’s New York from March 6 through March 12. Bidding will take place across four separate auctions between March 7 and March 17.
In a statement released last fall, Irsay’s family described the decision to sell as one rooted in stewardship rather than liquidation. “Our dad was a passionate collector, driven not by possession, but by a profound appreciation for history and cultural resonance,” the family said. “Each piece tells a story. Now, we believe it’s time for the collection to have a new life with future stewards who understand and cherish its significance.”
That philosophy echoed how Irsay himself spoke about the collection. “He wouldn’t say he owned these items,” Larry Hall, chairman and chief curator of the Jim Irsay Collection, told The New York Times. “He would say he was a steward.” True to that belief, Irsay frequently loaned pieces to museums and mounted traveling exhibitions that brought the artifacts to audiences well beyond traditional gallery spaces.
Among the most anticipated lots is Starr’s black oyster pearl Ludwig drum kit, used during the Beatles’ first Ed Sullivan appearance, an event widely credited with accelerating the British Invasion in the United States. Christie’s estimates the drums will sell for between $1 million and $2 million.
Cobain’s Fender Mustang, prominently featured in Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video and used during the Nevermind and In Utero eras, carries an estimate of $2.5 million to $5 million. The guitar stands as one of the most recognizable instruments of the alternative-rock era.
Also included is David Gilmour’s famed Black Strat, valued between $2 million and $4 million. Irsay purchased the guitar directly from Gilmour at auction in 2019 for nearly $4 million. Modified extensively by Gilmour after acquiring it in 1970, the instrument was used across Pink Floyd’s most influential recordings, including The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were HereAnimals, and The Wall. “This is the Strat,” Irsay told Rolling Stone at the time. “It’s the signature guitar for those incredible Floyd leads.”
Other musical highlights include Jerry Garcia’s Tiger guitar, John Lennon’s 1963 Gretsch Chet Atkins, Elton John’s Steinway piano, and instruments once owned by Eric Clapton and George Harrison.
The auction also extends well beyond music. Non-musical artifacts include Secretariat’s racing saddle, Muhammad Ali’s “Rumble in the Jungle” championship belt, Jack Kerouac’s On the Road manuscript scroll, Sylvester Stallone’s annotated Rocky script, and Mike Myers’ Austin Powers glasses.
Christie’s has confirmed that a portion of the proceeds will benefit charitable organizations supported by Irsay during his lifetime, including initiatives focused on mental health, an issue he spoke about publicly and often.
