The renowned electric guitar David Gilmour extensively used on major Pink Floyd albums and as a solo artist, famously known as the “Black Strat,” was sold for a staggering $14.55 million US in a recent Christie’s auction. This sale set a new record for the highest-priced guitar ever auctioned. An unidentified buyer acquired the iconic instrument after a spirited bidding war lasting around 20 minutes.
This transaction surpassed the previous record set in a 2020 Julien’s auction where Kurt Cobain’s Martin guitar from the MTV Unplugged performance fetched $6.01 million. Gilmour obtained the black Fender Stratocaster off-the-shelf in New York in 1970 as a replacement for Pink Floyd’s stolen equipment during a U.S. tour. He later described it as his primary guitar, using it extensively unless a different sound was required.
The instrument underwent numerous modifications and customizations over the years, including a period on display at the Hard Rock Café before being featured prominently during Pink Floyd’s Live 8 reunion performance in London’s Hyde Park in 2005. Jim Irsay, the late owner of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, acquired the Black Strat in 2019 for $3.975 million. The recent Christie’s auction, part of Irsay’s collection of iconic guitars and memorabilia, featured several noteworthy items following his passing in 2025.
Moreover, the auction witnessed multiple guitars achieving top prices, with five guitars making it to the list of the ten most expensive guitars ever sold at auction. Among them was a custom guitar played by Jerry Garcia for over a decade, fetching $11.56 million, and one of Kurt Cobain’s guitars used in Nirvana albums and the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” music video, sold for $6.9 million. Additionally, two Eric Clapton guitars, including a Cream-era Gibson SG and the Martin acoustic from MTV Unplugged, also made it to the list.
In total, all 44 lots offered during the auction were successfully sold, generating a total revenue exceeding $84 million, inclusive of the auction house commission.