After being missing for more than 50 years, John Lennon‘s Framus 12-string Hootenanny acoustic guitar, which he famously used on Help! by The Beatles, is set to head to auction.
The instrument was used on a litany of recordings by The Beatles during the 1960s but was considered a lost relic until it miraculously recently appeared in an attic, according to Julien’s Auctions. The auction house are planning to sell the item at their ‘Music Icons’ two-day event, which is due to take place at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City on May 29th and May 30th.
Other items set to be sold off include the Fender, Rose Sparkle P Bass guitar, played by U2’s Adam Clayton at their recent Las Vegas shows, expected to fetch $50,000 to $70,000, and a stage-worn ‘Billy Jean’ shirt courtesy of Michael Jackson’s estate, which they hope earns $80,000 to $100,000.
However, Lennon’s lost guitar is the item they expect to earn the most from the auction in New York, which they estimate will be sold for $600,000 to $800,000. If Julien’s Auctions are correct in their prediction, this will set a new world record for the highest-selling Beatles guitar.
In a statement, Darren Julien, co-founder and executive director of Julien’s Auctions, said, “The discovery of John Lennon’s Help! guitar that was believed to be lost is considered the greatest find of a Beatles guitar since Paul McCartney’s lost 1961 Höfner bass guitar.
He continued: “Finding this remarkable instrument is like finding a lost Rembrandt or Picasso, and it still looks and plays like a dream after having been preserved in an attic for more than 50 years. To awaken this sleeping beauty is a sacred honor and is a great moment for Music, Julien’s, Beatles and Auction history.”
Notable tracks by The Beatles the instrument was used on include ‘Help!’, ‘You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away’, ‘It’s Only Love’, ‘Norwegian Wood’ and ‘I’ve Just Seen A Face’.
Julien’s Auctions state Lennon gifted the guitar to Gordon Waller of Peter & Gordon, who eventually passed it on to a road manager that he worked alongside. Despite the historic musical accomplishments carried out on the instrument, it was lost before homeowners of a property in the rural British countryside recently stumbled upon the item in their attic.
News of Lennon’s lost guitar re-emerging comes after a Höfner bass guitar Paul McCartney bought for £30 in 1961 was finally reunited with the former Beatle earlier this year. The distinctive violin-shaped bass, reportedly McCartney’s favourite, was supposedly stolen around the time The Beatles were recording their final album, Let It Be. If it was to be auctioned off, it’s believed the Höfner would generate £10 million.
Music legends lose things too! And we’re great at discovering them! We have a RARE find coming to Music Icons, reuniting the lost with history. Stay tuned for the reveal & our livestream from Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly
