Kurt Cobain’s guitar from ‘MTV Unplugged’ expected to sell for more than $1 million at auction

A custom guitar Kurt Cobain used during one of Nirvana’s last and most iconic performances is expected to sell for at least $1 million at an upcoming auction.

The modified Martin D-18E guitar Cobain played during Nirvana’s “MTV Unplugged in New York” concert is among several artifacts from the show hitting the auction block next month.

Julien’s Auctions said in a statement it estimates it will sell the instrument for as much as $2 million once bidding on it begins June 19.

“This important guitar has earned its rightful place in rock ’n’ roll history as the instrument played by one of rock’s most influential musicians and icons in one of the greatest and most memorable live performances of all time,” said Darren Julien, the auction house’s president and chief executive officer.

Built in 1959, the instrument was one of only 302 made by the American guitar manufacturer that year and was already considered rare when it was acquired by Cobain in late 1993.

The late Nirvana frontman subsequently played it during more than a dozen performances before his death, including the “MTV Unplugged” concert that was among his last.

Held in New York in November 1993, the performance was televised by MTV the next month as part of the network’s long-running “Unplugged” series and later released as an album.

Cobain died by suicide in April 1994, and “MTV Unplugged in New York” debuted on top of the Billboard 200 album chart when it was put out by DGC Records several months later.

The record has since sold several million copies and earned Nirvana a Grammy Award in 1996 for Best Alternative Music Album.

Ernie Bailey, Cobain’s former guitar technician, said the late grunge musician bought the instrument from Voltage Guitar in Los Angeles in the fall of 1993, according to Julien’s. It was adjusted so that it could be played left-handed by Cobain, and a few other modifications were made including the addition of a third electric pickup, the auction house said.

TMZ reported in 2018 that the guitar had recently been in the possession of Cobain’s daughter, Frances Bean Cobain, but that she lost it in her divorce to musician Isaiah Silva.

Other items being auctioned by Julien’s include the setlist Cobain used during the “Unplugged” concert and the lyric sheets to several cover songs he performed during the show.

A green cardigan Cobain wore during the same concert sold at auction last October for $334,000. Julien’s said at the time that the winning bid set a new record for the most ever spent at auction on a sweater.