Nearly two years after a yellow model of Prince's iconic "cloud" guitar sold for six figures at a New York auction, a blue-coloured version of the instrument will hit the block in California next month.
The blue instrument, seen above, is a highlight of the memorabilia collection featured in the annual "Music Icons" event from Julien's Auctions, set to take place June 19 and 20 in Beverly Hills and online.
Featuring gold hardware and custom "Love Symbol" neck inlays, Julien's calls the instrument "one of the most important guitars from the early years of Prince's career ever to come to auction." At one point, fans were able to purchase authentic replicas produced by Schecter from the icon's web store.
"Prince first came across the model for the Cloud Guitar while browsing in a guitar shop with his childhood friend and first bassist, André Cymone, in the late 1970s when Prince was at the very beginning of his solo career," a product description recalls. "The two musicians were intrigued by a custom bass guitar with hand-carved curves and swirls, and the way it resembled a classical instrument more than one you would see in the hands of a rock or funk musician."
Of course, the instrument became more widely known after being featured in Prince's Purple Rain. His web store adds that he "had the Cloud Guitar remade many times throughout his career in different colors and finishes, and the instrument re-emerged at several key points in his artistic evolution."
The blue "cloud" guitar is projected to fetch between $100,000 and $200,000 at the auction. The aforementioned yellow model, auctioned off in 2018 by Julien's, sold for $225,000 USD — well above its $60,000-$80,000 estimate. A purple suit, a pendant and a pair of boots from Prince will also be included in the auction.
Other items set to be featured in the 2020 "Music Icons" auction include a handwritten Paul McCartney lyric sheet for the Beatles' "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," which is expected to fetch between $200,000 and $300,000 USD.
Additional memorabilia will come from Madonna, Michael Jackson, Jim Morrison, the Rolling Stones, Queen, Whitney Houston, Johnny Cash and David Bowie.
Find further auction details here.
The blue instrument, seen above, is a highlight of the memorabilia collection featured in the annual "Music Icons" event from Julien's Auctions, set to take place June 19 and 20 in Beverly Hills and online.
Featuring gold hardware and custom "Love Symbol" neck inlays, Julien's calls the instrument "one of the most important guitars from the early years of Prince's career ever to come to auction." At one point, fans were able to purchase authentic replicas produced by Schecter from the icon's web store.
"Prince first came across the model for the Cloud Guitar while browsing in a guitar shop with his childhood friend and first bassist, André Cymone, in the late 1970s when Prince was at the very beginning of his solo career," a product description recalls. "The two musicians were intrigued by a custom bass guitar with hand-carved curves and swirls, and the way it resembled a classical instrument more than one you would see in the hands of a rock or funk musician."
Of course, the instrument became more widely known after being featured in Prince's Purple Rain. His web store adds that he "had the Cloud Guitar remade many times throughout his career in different colors and finishes, and the instrument re-emerged at several key points in his artistic evolution."
The blue "cloud" guitar is projected to fetch between $100,000 and $200,000 at the auction. The aforementioned yellow model, auctioned off in 2018 by Julien's, sold for $225,000 USD — well above its $60,000-$80,000 estimate. A purple suit, a pendant and a pair of boots from Prince will also be included in the auction.
Other items set to be featured in the 2020 "Music Icons" auction include a handwritten Paul McCartney lyric sheet for the Beatles' "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," which is expected to fetch between $200,000 and $300,000 USD.
Additional memorabilia will come from Madonna, Michael Jackson, Jim Morrison, the Rolling Stones, Queen, Whitney Houston, Johnny Cash and David Bowie.
Find further auction details here.