Julien’s Auctions, the industry-leading music memorabilia auction house, announced today from Hard Rock Cafe® in Piccadilly Circus that one of the most historically important Beatles guitars in rock history – John Lennon’s long-lost Framus 12-string Hootenanny acoustic guitar, used in the recording of The Beatles’ Help! album and film and many of the Fab Four’s other seminal hits from the 1960s – will headline Julien’s Auctions’ blockbuster MUSIC ICONS two-day auction event taking place Wednesday, May 29th, and Thursday, May 30th, 2024 live at Hard Rock Cafe in New York and online at juliensauctions.com. (photo top right of John Lennon with the guitar and Ringo Starr from the book The Beatles: Photographs From The Set of Help which will be accompanied in the auction of the guitar).
This extraordinary guitar, long forgotten and believed to have been lost, was recently found in an attic in the UK after being unseen for over 50 years. Considered the most important Beatles guitar ever to come to market, it is expected to exceed its estimate of $600,000 – $800,000 USD £485,000 – £647,000 GBP and set a new world record for the highest-selling Beatles guitar.
“The discovery of John Lennon’s Help! guitar that was believed to be lost is considered the greatest find of a Beatles guitar since Paul McCartney’s lost 1961 Höfner bass guitar,” said Darren Julien, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Julien’s Auctions. “Finding this remarkable instrument is like finding a lost Rembrandt or Picasso, and it still looks and plays like a dream after having been preserved in an attic for more than 50 years. To awaken this sleeping beauty is a sacred honor and is a great moment for Music, Julien’s, Beatles and Auction history.”
A recording of the live stream of this morning’s announcement can be viewed on JuliensAuctions.com.
