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John Lennon’s guitar found 50 years later

Long-lost Beatles music instrument will be auctioned later this month in New York

Hazique Zairill
Lennon’s 12-string Hootenanny acoustic, found 50 years later, will be auctioned on May 29. – PIC BY JULIEN’S AUCTIONSLennon’s 12-string Hootenanny acoustic, found 50 years later, will be auctioned on May 29. – PIC BY JULIEN’S AUCTIONS

THE long-lost 12-string acoustic guitar of the late John Lennon, missing for 50 years, is set to be auctioned later this month after its recent discovery in a British attic.

This beloved instrument, a 12-string Hootenanny acoustic model, was famously used by Lennon in the 1965 musical comedy Help! and featured in several Beatles songs.

In addition, George Harrison also used the guitar for the rhythm part on Norwegian Wood and on the Rubber Soul song Girl.

According to The Independent, Julien’s Auctions co-founder and executive director Darren Julien said it received a call from the owners who had been gifted the guitar “many years ago” by Scottish musician Gordon Waller from the 1960s pop duo Peter and Gordon.

The couple rediscovered the guitar decades later while in the middle of a move from their home in the English countryside. After being told about the guitar, Julien sought the expertise of Andy Babiuk and Beatles historian Danny Bennett, who confirmed that it was the same instrument used by Lennon.

Experts at the auction house anticipated that the long-lost guitar would fetch over US$800,000 (RM3.8 million), potentially surpassing the world record for the highest-selling Beatles guitar.

$!Once lost for 50 years, the guitar will be auctioned this month after being found in a British attic.
Once lost for 50 years, the guitar will be auctioned this month after being found in a British attic.

This record is currently held by another Lennon guitar, the long-lost acoustic Gibson J-160E, which was used in the recording of The Beatles’ Please Please Me and With the Beatles albums. It was sold for US$2.4 million at a Julien’s auction in 2015. It is well-documented that musical instruments owned by prominent Beatles members have fetched high prices at past auctions.

The 12-string acoustic guitar belonging to Lennon was recently showcased at Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus, alongside other notable music memorabilia, such as handwritten lyrics by Tupac Shakur, a setlist by Kurt Cobain, and a Fendi dress worn by Amy Winehouse, among others.

Earlier this year, a stolen Hofner bass guitar belonging to Paul McCartney was found and returned to the fellow Beatle after 51 years following a global hunt. This particular bass, used on hits like Love Me Do and Twist and Shout, was stolen from a crew member’s van back in 1972.