Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia’s legendary Wolf guitar will be auctioned in Guernsey’s May 31 sale in Brooklyn.
The proceeds will go to benefit the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Garcia commissioned luthier Doug Irwin to make the guitar in the early 1970s.
Jerry Garcia commissioned luthier Doug Irwin to make Wolf in the early 1970s
He first played it onstage at a Hells Angels concert in 1973. It’s regarded as one of his most iconic guitars.
The auction house comments: “Fans of the Grateful Dead will know the incomparable Wolf as one of Jerry Garcia’s earliest and most recognizable instruments…
“The iconic appearance of this unique instrument and its role, not only in the rich early stages of Jerry Garcia’s career, but also in the history of modern guitar craftsmanship, have made Wolf one of the most treasured guitars in the music world.”
Wolf last sold for $789,500 at Guernsey’s in 2002, at the time becoming the second most valuable guitar ever sold. The other guitar Irwin made for Garcia, known as Tiger, achieved the record $957,500 at the same sale.
The Dead have easily the most dedicated fan base of any band in rock and roll history, and demand is extremely high for quality memorabilia.
The surviving members played their final concert in 2015. A signed guitar realised $526,000 for charity in an auction held a few days before.
No estimate is available for the present lot, but it is easily capable of breaking the $1m mark.
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