PSA: Irsay collection going to auction

[Tortious]

Not sure why the kids couldn't have found the alleged Dubai oil baron that offered a billion for the whole thing. As much as he had, I don't think the entire sale will add up to that.

https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/guitars/jim-irsay-guitar-collection-going-to-auction
 

Quote

 

It includes many of rock and pop’s most famous electric guitars, many of which Irsay purchased himself at auction for multi-million dollar deals over the years. Highlights include (but certainly are not limited to) Kurt Cobain’s Smells Like Teen Spirit Mustang, David Gilmour’s Black Fender Stratocaster, Jerry Garcia’s Tiger and the Strat Bob Dylan used to ‘go electric’ at the Newport Folk Festival.

That’s before we mention The Fool SG, which once belonged to Eric Clapton and Todd Rundgren, and John Lennon’s Gretsch 6120 Country Gentleman. Oh, and Irsay’s collection also features instruments and guitars once played and owned by Prince, Eddie Van Halen, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, Paul McCartney and more.

The entire thing will be offered at Christie’s New York in a series of auctions beginning in March 2026

 

 

Buy buy buy!!

[bry4321]

Irsay's 3 daughters are probably billionaires ** and they couldn't be bothered to donate this to a museum? 

 

**Apologies to them if I am wrong. 

[alantig]

It may be that Irsay had discussed what he wanted done with the collection.  He didn't just keep this stuff under glass - he loaned the instruments out to (select) musicians traveling through Indy on tour, and to folks who played at his charity shows.  He may have told his heirs to try to get them in (very rich) musicians' hands rather than sell to someone who'll lock them away.  You can't control who gets something at auction, but at least it's a more open deal.

[velorush]

I tried to express the gravity of the situation to my wife who snarkily replied, "well, you know, Christmas is coming up..." 😑

[BadgerDave]

My opinion only, but I think the value of these guitars has topped out and will decline as time passes. 

The group of people who idolized the players associated with these instruments is decreasing rapidly.  The only logical reason to pay $1M for a guitar is the expectation of appreciation in value.  SRV's Stratocaster has no more intrinsic value as a musical instrument than mine. 

So, as appreciation for the guitar-based rock music of the late 60s through the early 90s fades, so will the bragging rights and investment potential associated with owning a rock star guitar diminish.

I think we've hit the tipping point, and it will be a swift ride down.

 

The one exception may be guitars associated with Kurt Cobain.  These may hold steady or increase in value for a while for two reasons:

1) Nirvana was hugely popular with a much younger age group, and

2)  Kurt's guitars have value as cultural icons to a far greater audience than guitar players or collectors.  A 40 year old tech billionaire is far more likely to covet a Cobain artifact (whether a guitar or sweater) than a guitar played by Eric Clapton.

The Irsay daughters likely realize that their dad's collection is a depreciating asset and the time to sell is now.

 

[DaveL]

I’m sorry that he passed but lets not church it up.    This is money that the the Irsay’s pocketed at taxpayer expense (billion dollar stadium deal look it up).  that was spent on guitars. 
 

  If you folks are ok with this enjoy.   

[santellavision]

I bet Joe Bonamassa has enough in his paypal account. 🤣

[crunchee]

Why the sale of Jim Irsay’s guitar collection is a sad moment in guitar history   Yeah, whatever.  And MTV's Ridiculousness was earth-shaking TV up until they cancelled it recently.  NOT.  

Anybody remember 'The Chinery Collection' and what happened to it?  Pretty much the same thing.  I'm not gonna lament The Irsay Collection any more than i did that.

Edited November 2, 2025 by crunchee

[Jakeboy]

3 hours ago, DaveL said:

I’m sorry that he passed but lets not church it up.    This is money that the the Irsay’s pocketed at taxpayer expense (billion dollar stadium deal look it up).  that was spent on guitars. 
 

  If you folks are ok with this enjoy.   

What did he do to make money that was illegal? I am truly asking. 

[Steve Haynie]

Sports teams convince government to build their stadiums and arenas with public money.  The contracts usually allow the teams to take all revenue, and the government is supposed to recoup its "investment" through accommodation tax and tourism dollars flowing to the local community.  

Imagine being able to get government to build a guitar store building for you and letting you use it rent and tax free.

[hamerican gigolo]

It amazes me that internet " experts " always know what's best on how to decide what others should do with their assets. 🙄

The vintage guitar market isn't depreciating. If anything, the prices continue to rise. Excellent, clean unadulterated examples will always be in demand. Thanks to the internet, the audience is truly worldwide. The demand for such is greater than ever.

[alantig]

12 hours ago, Steve Haynie said:

Imagine being able to get government to build a guitar store building for you and letting you use it rent and tax free.

Go on...

[Tortious]

On 11/1/2025 at 2:40 PM, BadgerDave said:

The only logical reason to pay $1M for a guitar is the expectation of appreciation in value. 

In Irsay's case, I don't think he cared about that. From what I can tell, he wanted to know what those guitars were really like, and he had the money to find out.

Given some of his other 'habits', it's also a possibility that estate planning wasn't near the top on his list of things to be concerned about. I don't know that, but it wouldn't be the first time something similar has happened, even to the very well off.

We'll probably never know, but what is obvious is that the collection is the property of his survivors to do what they wish/need to with, and this was what they decided to do.

I am reasonably confident that there won't be much in the way of great deals at this auction. Maybe a pedalboard will slip through cheap. 🤪 Unlikely.

[BadgerDave]

29 minutes ago, Tortious said:

In Irsay's case, I don't think he cared about that. From what I can tell, he wanted to know what those guitars were really like, and he had the money to find out.

I think you're likely right about this.

But note that I qualified my statement with the word "logical". Assuming Irsay accumulated his collectionfor the reason you propose, he was acting emotionally, rather than logically.

Lots of people disagree, but I place no value at all on an inanimate object's relationship with a celebrity.  I also don't understand the appeal of autographs, unless, of course, they can be sold to people who do value them.

I think at this point, the "greater fool theory" is solidly in play with respect to collectable guitars. It will be interesting to see the selling prices.

Just my opinion of course. 😄

[velorush]

On 11/1/2025 at 4:44 PM, DaveL said:

I’m sorry that he passed but lets not church it up.    This is money that the the Irsay’s pocketed at taxpayer expense (billion dollar stadium deal look it up).  that was spent on guitars. 
 

  If you folks are ok with this enjoy.   

If a municipality is motivated (rightly or wrongly) to build a facility for my use on the (highly questionable) premise the return on that investment will exceed the cost, I would absolutely agree. 

Personally, I do not think that to be a legitimate function of government, nor a legitimate use of dollars confiscated from their populace, but they don't ask me (ever).

OTOH, I do not fault the team owners who agree to be the beneficiaries of such grift. [/opinion]

And no, this isn't at all political. 

[DarkHammer]

18 hours ago, BadgerDave said:

I think you're likely right about this.

But note that I qualified my statement with the word "logical". Assuming Irsay accumulated his collectionfor the reason you propose, he was acting emotionally, rather than logically.

Lots of people disagree, but I place no value at all on an inanimate object's relationship with a celebrity.  I also don't understand the appeal of autographs, unless, of course, they can be sold to people who do value them.

I think at this point, the "greater fool theory" is solidly in play with respect to collectable guitars. It will be interesting to see the selling prices.

Just my opinion of course. 😄

IMHO the auction will do well and family will be able to recoupe what Irsay paid for the guitars. 

There are so many super rich folks out there, for them to drop few million on a famous guitar is on the same magnitude as me or you getting something at the Home Goods store. They would be happy for pay couple million on a conversation piece they can hang on the wall and discuss with their friends.    

[Jakeboy]

On 11/1/2025 at 9:59 PM, Steve Haynie said:

Sports teams convince government to build their stadiums and arenas with public money.  The contracts usually allow the teams to take all revenue, and the government is supposed to recoup its "investment" through accommodation tax and tourism dollars flowing to the local community.  

Imagine being able to get government to build a guitar store building for you and letting you use it rent and tax free.

Well, if that is true (and it makes sense that it is) what did Irsay do wrong? He must have had good negotiation skills to convince Indy to do that…and Indy must have believed the city and taxpayers would recoup monies spent via tourism, accommodation taxes, etc., as Mr. Haynie stated.

OTOH, I’m still pissed that Bob Irsay  took my team out of Baltimore in the middle of the night back in 1984!

[velorush]

2 hours ago, Jakeboy said:

OTOH, I’m still pissed that Bob Irsay  took my team out of Baltimore in the middle of the night back in 1984!

Not my team, but I completely agree:

Colts = Baltimore

Cardinals = St. Louis

Raiders = Oakland

Rams = L.A... oh, wait... 

 

[DaveL]

3 hours ago, Jakeboy said:

Well, if that is true (and it makes sense that it is) what did Irsay do wrong? He must have had good negotiation skills to convince Indy to do that…and Indy must have believed the city and taxpayers would recoup monies spent via tourism, accommodation taxes, etc., as Mr. Haynie stated.

OTOH, I’m still pissed that Bob Irsay  took my team out of Baltimore in the middle of the night back in 1984!

well.   They left Baltimore in the middle of the night… needed a new stadium in Indy before the old one (The RCA dome). was even paid off.    No one calls the dude out on it.   They pretty much have the nicest sweetheart deal in the league… although I’d like to see the numbers on the Buffalo Bills new palace.    
 

    Illegal?  No,  but I would question why he was arrested carrying around thousands of dollars cash and drugs…

  

 

 

 

 

[golem]

I thought Joe B was on record saying that you shouldn't try to sell everything at once. I don't recall his full rationale but it's something to the effect of flooding the market. I think you might do better to stretch this out over years selling individual pieces.