A 1969 Fender Competition Mustang beloved by Nirvana mastermind Kurt Cobain is heading to the auction block at Christie’s in March, with an estimated sale price of $2.5–$5 million. The instrument figured in the recording sessions for the albums Nevermind and In Utero as well as “numerous prominent live performances,” according to the auction house. It’s also the one Cobain wielded in the music video for that anthem of all anthems, “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” in 1991.
“Kurt Cobain and his music defined a generation,” Christie’s global president Alex Rotter said in a statement. “His impact continues to inspire and permeate our culture. It is such a privilege to offer a beautiful portrait that pays tribute to his genius, and the guitar that he used to write the soundtrack of so many of our lives.”
The guitar, which will be exhibited at Christie’s Rockefeller Plaza showroom in advance of the auction in the spring, is being sold as part of a sale of the Jim Irsay Collection, amassed by the billionaire best known as the owner of the Indianapolis Colts football team before his death at age 65 in May.
The collection touches on treasures related to “music, pop culture, American history, literature, sports, and more,” per Christie’s, and it includes what Guitar World magazine described as “The Greatest Guitar Collection on Earth.” Other axes in it belonged to the likes of John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Prince, Jerry Garcia, Bob Dylan, and Eddie Van Halen. Irsay also collected instruments owned by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Jim Morrison, and others.
Kurt Cobain’s 1969 Fender Competition Mustang.
Courtesy Christie’s Images LTD. 2025
