David Gilmour’s ‘The Black Strat’ Sells for Record $14.55 Million
A black Fender Stratocaster guitar previously owned by Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour has achieved a record-breaking sale price of $14.55 million at a Christie’s auction on Thursday, March 13, 2026. The sale surpasses the previous auction record for a guitar, previously held by Kurt Cobain’s Martin D-180E from Nirvana’s ‘Unplugged’ performance.
Iconic Instrument’s History
Known as ‘The Black Strat,’ the 1969 Fender Stratocaster was used by Gilmour in the recording of six Pink Floyd albums, including The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall, as well as his 1978 self-titled solo debut. Gilmour originally purchased the guitar in 1970 from Manny’s Music in Modern York City to replace a similar instrument lost while touring with Pink Floyd in the United States in 1968. The guitar was originally a sunburst color but was repainted black at Manny’s.
Auction Details and Previous Ownership
The 21-minute online bidding war culminated in the record-breaking sale. The guitar was previously purchased by the late Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay for $5 million in 2019. This sale was part of a larger auction of Irsay’s extensive memorabilia collection following his death in 2025.
Other Record-Breaking Sales at Auction
Thursday’s auction also saw other significant sales, including a guitar used by Kurt Cobain for the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video, which sold for $6.9 million, and a custom Jerry Garcia-owned guitar known as “The Tiger,” which brought in $11.56 million. A piano used by John Lennon to compose songs for The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band sold for over $3.2 million, becoming the most expensive Beatles item ever sold at auction. A Fool-Gibson guitar used by Eric Clapton sold for just over $3 million.
The Jim Irsay Collection
The auction featured over 400 pop culture classics, raising a total of $84 million. Irsay, a dedicated collector, amassed an enormous collection of pop culture memorabilia, including items from pop artists, film stars, and authors.