Julien’s Auctions, the industry-leading music memorabilia auction house, announced results from “The Rick Nielsen Collection,” which took place live on Saturday, October 24 at the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum at the Historic Nashville Municipal Auditorium.
The highlight of the sale was Rick Nielsen’s custom, stage-played 2004 Hamer Five Neck Korina guitar, offered publicly for the first time ever, which sold for $313,600. Another standout instrument, a stage-played 1975 Hamer Standard, achieved $256,000, while Nielsen’s 1984 Gibson Les Paul sold for $25,600. Additional highlights included his vintage Marshall amplifier, which brought $19,840, and his 1955 Ford Thunderbird, which sold for $76,800.As the creative force behind Cheap Trick, The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Nielsen crafted iconic anthems like “Surrender,” “I Want You to Want Me,” “Dream Police,” and “If You Want My Love”. His distinctive guitar work, power pop songwriting, and wild stage presence propelled the band from Rockford, Illinois to international stardom, cementing its legacy with the landmark Cheap Trick at Budokan album.
Beyond the instruments, the auction offered a glimpse into Nielsen’s singular style and personality. Nielsen’s collection of handmade, one-of-a-kind sweaters proved equally popular. A sweater featuring the graphic “Don’t Steal My Girlfriend” sold for $6,400, six times its estimate, while his vintage Detroit Tigers baseball cap brought $2,240, more than three times its estimate.
The collection’s fashion offerings delivered an especially strong showing, with all 90 lots of clothing finding buyers and every piece exceeding its presale estimate. From handmade sweaters to signature stagewear, the results underscored the appeal of Nielsen’s one-of-a-kind wardrobe.
Adding a decidedly rock-and-roll twist to the results, Nielsen’s black rubberized overcoat, famously peed on by Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx during a night out in Europe, sold for $5,760, nearly 10 times its presale estimate. Sixx recounted the incident in the band’s 2001 autobiography, The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band, recalling that he had urinated on the coat of his own musical hero.
“Collecting guitars and memorabilia has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember” said Nielsen. “I’m thrilled to see friends, fans and collectors give these pieces of my history a new life, and even happier that the auction supports St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.”
For the full results visit, Julien’s Auctions.
No comments:
Post a Comment