Beatles' 1964 Gibson SG and Keith Richards' 1959 Sunburst Les Paul: Results from Christie's Auction
by Tom Watson
NEW YORK CITY (Manhattan). December 17, 2004. The results are in from Christie's "Rock & Roll and Entertainment Memorabilia" auction held today. The 1964 Gibson SG once owned by George Harrison and played by both Harrison and John Lennon, brought $567,500 (including the buyer's premium), while a 1959 Sunburst Les Paul previously owned and played by Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones failed to meet the auction reserve and didn't sell.
2004 will be a tough year to top as far as collectible electric guitars go. In addition to today's auction, other guitars to hit the block this year included noteworthy pieces from Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Jimi Hendrix. The sale of Clapton's Fender Stratocaster known as "Blackie" brought $959,500 (including the buyer's premium) in June's Crossroads auction at Christie's, and set a new record for the sale of an electric guitar at auction, beating the prior record set in 2002 by the sale of Jerry Garcia's guitar, "Tiger" by $2,000.
George Harrison/Beatles 1964 Gibson SG
Auction Lot Number: 362
Estimate: Estimate On Request [see below]
Final Auction price: $567,500 (including buyer's premium)Although Christie's did not publicly provide a pre-auction estimate of value for the SG, Darren Julien, whose auction house, Julien's, co-sponsored today's auction at Christie's, believed the guitar itself was worth $200,000, and due to its ownership pedigree and player history had a presale value of $600,000.
Christie's lot description:
A 1964 Gibson SG Standard guitar, Serial No. 227666, translucent cherry finish, double cutaway solid body, Schaller machine heads, 22 fret fingerboard with mother-of-pearl inlays, Gibson logo inlayed to head, duel humbucker pickups, four rotary controls, selector switch, Gibson/Maestro Varitone wrap around tail piece and whammy bar, together with original hardshell case and six original Kluson tuners. Played by George Harrison from 1966 through 1969 during various Beatles appearances and recording sessions which include the last official United Kingdom concert at the NME Poll Winners Concert and during the Revolver recording session. It was also used by Harrison in two Beatles films used to promote "Paperback Writer" and "Rain" in 1966 and later played by John Lennon during the White Album sessions in 1969. Also present is a thirty-nine page custom binder which includes excellent documentation, featuring several reproduction images of Harrison playing the guitar with The Beatles as well as documentation from the book Beatles Gear: All the Fab Four's Instruments, from Stage to Studio (Andy Babiuk) and two letters verifying the guitar's authenticity. Together with additional related documents of the guitars subsequent owner, Pete Ham of Badfinger, to whom Harrison bestowed the guitar to in 1969. In 2002, the guitar was loaned to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland Ohio where it has been on display ever since.
Keith Richards 1959 Gibson Les Paul
Auction Lot Number: 267
Estimate: Estimate On Request [see below]
Final Auction price: UnsoldWhile Christie's didn't publicly provide a pre-auction estimate of value, according to Newsday, the pre-sale value was $400,000.
Although a 1959 Les Paul 'Burst is collectible in its own right, (non-celebrity specimens often sell for more than $100,000), there's no doubt that the value of this guitar was signficantly increased by Richards' ownership.
Christie's lot description:
A 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar, Serial No. 93182, Sunburst finish, single cutaway body, Maple top, cherry finish sides and back in Honduras Mahogany, Grover tuners, 22 fret Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with mother-of-pearl inlays, Gibson logo inlayed to head, one Humbucking "patent applied for" zebra rythym pickup, one Humbucking "patent applied for" double black lead pickup, Gibson ABR1 Tuneomatic bridge, four rotary controls, selector switch, Bigsby tailpiece, together with 1960s Les Paul hardshell case. Played by Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones on the Ed Sullivan Show (1964/1965), Ready Steady Go! (1964) and during various Rolling Stones appearances from the same era. Also played by Mick Jagger during Beggar's Banquet recording sessions. Additionally present are two certificates of authenticity (facsimile copies) from guitar specialists Tony Bacon and Clive Brown as well as four 8 by 10 inch images of Richards playing the guitar and two of Mick Jagger playing the guitar and additional related documents.
He's an author, fan and expert on Gibson Les Paul guitars, and now aficionado Vic DaPra has one named after him.
Already, Mr. DaPra, co-owner of Guitar Gallery in North Strabane, has sold all 25 of the custom electric guitars made and named for him by Gibson USA less than three months ago.
Called the Vic DaPra Bourbon Fade, the guitar is a 50th anniversary reissue of a 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar.
Each one has its own "fingerprint," he said, along with a certificate of authenticity signed by company General Manager and Senior Vice President Rick Gembar.
His customers, from as far away as Ireland, New Zealand and Australia, each shelled out between $5,500 and $6,000 for the rare model, complete with a highly-flamed maple top in a dark sunburst shade that he designed.
The most famous owner of one of the guitars is lead guitarist Rick Nielsen of the band Cheap Trick, which is currently on a national tour.
The band, with DaPra guitar in hand, is scheduled to appear on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien Sept. 1.
Demand has been so high that Mr. DaPra is working on specifications for another DaPra guitar that will differ slightly from the one released in April.
The Gibson Les Paul series of guitars from 1958 to 1960 were re-popularized largely in the 1970s by English rock guitarists, like Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, and Jimmy Page, the lead guitarist for Led Zeppelin, who also wrote the forward for one of the three books Mr. DaPra co-authored about guitar collecting.
"I was a big sucker for the English stuff," remembers Mr. DaPra, 57, of Canonsburg.
A 1970 graduate of Canon McMillan High School, Mr. DaPra became interested in guitars at age 12, parked in front of the family's gigantic television set. It was then and there that he saw the Beatles play live on the Ed Sullivan Show.
Mr. DaPra remembers the event well.
"It just changed the world at that time," he said.
Soon, he founded his own garage band with some buddies, and he eventually went on to some local fame as the lead singer and guitarist from 1972 to 1984 for "Sugar Cane," a local band that opened for Joan Jett at the Stanley Theater.
All the while, Mr. DaPra was collecting guitars -- starting with the $29 Sears catalog model his parents, Val and Norma DaPra of Canonsburg, bought for him.
"That was it -- from there, I got hooked on guitars," he said.
After high school, Mr. DaPra went to college for a year, but dropped out, telling his parents he wanted to pursue a career in music.
They were disappointed by his decision, he said, but by 1973 they were convinced he went mad when he took out a $1,600 bank loan to purchase his first 1959 Les Paul.
"I thought my parents were going to have me committed," he recalls, saying such a price was unheard of at that time.
Today, that guitar would be worth about $400,000, said Mr. DaPra, who also works as an appraiser for collectors, like Mr. Page and guitarist Robby Krieger of The Doors.
The idea for the DaPra guitar came from Gibson salesmen, who Mr. DaPra said, approached him about having a guitar named after him to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the object that he's devoted much of his life to.
"I think Gibson really outdid themselves," he said of the guitar. "This is the best copy yet for playability and sound."
The DaPra guitar also features a mahogany body and neck, with a rosewood fingerboard.
Mr. DaPra still collects dozens of vintage guitars and offers many others for sale at Guitar Gallery, the shop he co-founded with partner Tim Matyas in 1985.
"We still sell guitars all over the world," Mr. DaPra said.