A collection of electric and acoustic guitars from Journey co-founder Neal Schon was auctioned for more than $4.2 million.
On July 31, Heritage Auctions offered 112 guitars from Schon’s extraordinary and expansive museum-quality collection.
Schon auctioned the instruments to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the rock band, along with Journey’s return to studio and stage.
At the heart of this auction was the 1977 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Black Solid Body guitar that Schon used on 1981’s chart-topping album Escape.
Indianapolis Colts CEO Jim Irsay reportedly bought the guitar for $250,000. “Rock music is a uniquely American art form, and the instruments and artifacts that created its rich history should be protected and preserved,” he said in a press release.
“These are guitars I’ve been collecting for a very long time, and it’s time to let go of some of my collection to make room for new arrivals,” Schon said earlier.
The auction took place a few hours before Journey returned to the stage as one of the Lollapalooza headliners in Chicago.
Source: RTT Music News