Bob Dylan/Robbie Robertson guitar sells for $490K at Julien’s Auctions

Bob Dylan

The Bob Dylan ‘Going Electric’ Tour  1965 Fender Telecaster owned by Robbie Robertson sold for $490,000. Julien’s Auctions image

NEW YORK – Julien’s Auctions sold over $6 million total in the sale of Property from the Life and Career of Prince and Music Icons sales May 18-19.One of the highly anticipated items of Saturday’s Music Icons auction, a 1965 Fender Telecaster owned by The Band’s Robbie Robertson sold for $490,000. The auction event sold over 600 lots and was held live at Hard Rock Cafe New York. Absentee and Internet bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.

The historic guitar was played by Bob Dylan on his Going Electric 1966 tour, in addition to Robbie Robertson, Eric Clapton, Levon Helm and George Harrison and numerous notable recordings and performances from Dylan’s Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat to The Band’s legendary set at Woodstock.

Another top-selling guitar was George Harrison’s first electric guitar, a Hofner Club 40, sold for an astounding $430,000. Harrison played the small blonde with black body binding single-cutaway hollow body instrument in the early days of The Beatles when they performed around Liverpool, England as The Quarrymen. It is considered one of the most historically important guitars as it marks the chapter in music history when The Beatles transitioned to a rock ’n’ roll band playing electric guitars.

Bob Dylan

George Harrison’s first electric guitar, a Hofner Club 40, sold for $430,000. Julien’s Auctions image

Julien’s Auctions made history Saturday with the record-breaking sale of Elvis Presley’s “Thunderbird” ensemble belt, a heavily embellished white leather belt worn in a 1972 performance in Hawaii, gifted to actor and friend Jack Lord as it sold for an astounding $354,400 (estimate: $20,000-$40,000). It is the top-selling belt sold at auction worn by “The King,” achieving a price normally reserved for his jumpsuits.
Another belt rocked the auction stage as Michael Jackson’s belt sold for $396,800, a world record at auction for the most expensive belt worn by The King of Pop.

Bob Dylan

Elvis Presley’s ‘Thunderbird’ ensemble belt sells for a record breaking $354,400. Julien’s Auctions image

Michael Jackson’s iconic wardrobe reigned supreme at the auction as top sellers included: his “Come Together” black patent leather jacket and pants ensemble selling for $217,600, well over its estimate of $60,000-$80,000, and the sterling silver and 18K gold and black patent leather belt with “BAD” logos and crests was worn by Jackson on the 1989 American Music Awards and in musical film Moonwalker sold for $179,200;

Jackson’s HIStory World Tour in 1997 worn and signed Florsheim shoes that sold for $32,500, estimate $6000-$8,000; a pair of his black signed loafers worn on his Dangerous Tour in 1992 that sold for $28,800, estimate $4,000-$6,000; a Hawaiian print shirt and a pale pink long-sleeve thermal shirt worn by Jackson in the music video for Leave Me Alone sold for $17,920, estimate: $6,000-$8,000; a brown leather jacket and black belt with silver tone buckle, worn by The King of Pop on his 2003 One More Chance music video sold for $25,600, estimate: $6,000-$8,000; a black leather motorcycle jacket with heavily round studded back, designed by Dennis Tompkins and Michael Bush in 1990 that sold for $38,400, estimate: $4,000-$6,000; and a “Michael Jackson” embossed black coat and black felt fedora with a pair of aviator sunglasses, all worn by Jackson while staying at Elizabeth Taylor’s chalet in Gstaad, Switzerland, in 1993 that sold for $12,800, estimate: $2,000-$4,000.

Bob Dylan

Michael Jackson’s ‘Come Together’ ensemble and worn belt earned $396,800. Julien’s Auctions image

Other top highlights included: a diamond star-shaped ring given by Elvis Presley to concert-goer Donna Lewis on July 24, 1975, during a performance at the Civic Center in Asheville, North Carolina, that sold for $100,000; Whitney Houston’s jumpsuit worn on her I’m Your Baby Tonight World Tour in 1991 that sold for $32,000, eight times more than its estimate: $4,000-$6,000; an MTV Video Music Award Moonman trophy for Best New Artist in a Video for Crowded House’s Don’t Dream It’s Over that sold for $11,250 over its estimate of $2,000-$4,000; an Aria Pro II Cardinal Series broken guitar body played by Kurt Cobain and smashed at the Motorsports International Garage Show in Seattle on Sept. 22, 1990 sold for $81,250, estimate: $40,000-$60,000; Cobain’s prototype designed Fender Jag-Stang accompanied by an original Cobain design drawing sold for $93,750, estimate: $40,000-$60,000; Jon Bon Jovi’s jeans with black leather worn during the Slippery When Wet Tour in 1987 that sold for $11,250, estimate: $2,000-$4,000; a Bruce Springsteen signed Fender Telecaster guitar that sold for $19,200, $3,000-$5,000; Frank Sinatra’s fingerprints dated Nov. 26, 1938, when he was arrested for a crime listed as “seduction” that sold for $19,200, nearly five times its estimate of $4,000; a Fender Custom Stratocaster owned and played by Jeff Beck as a spare guitar while on tour that sold for $19,200; a custom-made jumpsuit worn by Elton John at Madison Square Garden in 1974 that sold for $43,750, estimate: $20,000-$30,000.