David Gilmour guitar auction raises $21m for Climate Change
Melanie May | 26 June 2019 | News
An auction of 126 guitars belonging to Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour has raised $21m for Climate Change.
Gilmour auctioned the guitars, which included his preferred Fender models of Broadcasters, Esquires, Telecasters and Stratocasters, through Christie’s in New York on 20 June, promising all proceeds to the charity.
The David Gilmour Guitar Collection totaled US$21,490,750, with all the proceeds benefiting @ClientEarth. Thank you to all the fans today for an incredible 8-hour auction with bidders from 66 countries around the world! https://t.co/zHpdOCP6TU pic.twitter.com/aQDSHFyFZU
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— Christie's (@ChristiesInc) June 20, 2019
The eight-hour auction saw bidders from 66 countries around the world with his 1969 Fender Stratocaster “The Black Strat”, which he used to record The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here and The Wall, selling for $3,975,000, setting the world record for the most expensive guitar sold under the hammer.
Gilmour’s 1968 acoustic C.F. Martin Nazareth went for $1,095,000, surpassing Eric Clapton’s 1939 OO0-42 which sold for $791,500 in 2004. Other highlights were a Candy Apple Red 1984 Fender Stratocaster 57V that went for $615,000, while Gilmour’s rare 1958 Gretsch White Penguin sold for $447,000, a new auction record for a Gretsch guitar, and his Gibson 1955 Les Paul went for $447,000.
Speaking when the auction was announced, David Gilmour said:
“The global climate crisis is the greatest challenge that humanity will ever face, and we are within a few years of the effects of global warming being irreversible. I hope that the sale of these guitars will help ClientEarth in their cause to use the law to bring about real change.”
“We need a civilised world that goes on for all our grandchildren and beyond in which these guitars can be played and songs can be sung.”
James Thornton, ClientEarth CEO said:
“I’d like to express my deep and heartfelt gratitude to David Gilmour for this utterly remarkable gift. David has a long history of supporting charities and I am honoured that he has chosen ClientEarth to benefit from this landmark auction.
“ClientEarth is working across the world, using the law to fight climate change and protect nature, and this gift will do an enormous amount to support our efforts to ensure a sustainable and hospitable planet for future generations.
“The law is one of the most powerful tools we have to tackle the world’s increasing environmental problems. This gift is a phenomenal boost to our work using the law to tackle climate change and protect nature. It will allow us to play an even greater role in addressing the climate crisis and securing a healthy planet for future generations.”
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About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.