One of the most coveted electric guitars ever made has established a new auction benchmark at Heritage Auctions. An exceptionally preserved 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard Sunburst sold for $781,250 in the Oct. 15 Vintage Guitars and Musical Instruments Signature� Auction, setting a world auction record for a vintage guitar without celebrity provenance.
The result led a $2.15 million auction comprising 201 lots and drawing 848 international bidders, marking a significant achievement for Heritage’s Vintage Guitars & Musical Instruments category.
The Les Paul surpassed the previous benchmark of $611,000, paid for a 1958/63 Gibson Explorer at Skinner on Oct. 15, 2006, by $170,250, or approximately 28 percent.
Bearing serial No. 9 0640, the Les Paul retains its original Sunburst finish, with virtually no finish checking. Its original double-black PAF humbucking pickups retain both PAF decals and undisturbed covers, while the solder joints on its potentiometers and capacitors remain untouched. Its rare original tuning machines show no deterioration.
Even the accompanying accessories reinforce its remarkable survival: The guitar came with its original hang tags, strap and Lifton-style hardshell case, itself preserved in exceptional condition.
Formerly part of the celebrated collection of Ichiro Kato, one of Japan’s most respected vintage Gibson collectors, the guitar also has an extensively documented history within the vintage guitar community. Its serial number is recorded in the Burst Serial Registry, placing it among a closely studied group of surviving original Sunburst Les Pauls.
Sharing the spotlight was an instrument whose history is inseparable from the musician who played it: Lonnie Mack’s 1958 Gibson Flying V Number 7, which sold with his 1962 Magnatone Custom 440 amplifier for $550,000.
Mack’s primary guitar through decades of recordings, performances and international tours, Number 7-inch helped give voice to his pioneering blend of blues, rock, country and soul. His instrumental hits Memphis and Wham! influenced generations of guitarists, and the distinctive Flying Vbecame a familiar presence on his album covers and onstage. The lot also included Mack’s instantly recognizable stage strap.
A custom Telecaster-style guitar featuring original artwork by Paul Karslake, which brought $56,250. An elaborate skull motif covers the face, while the back depicts a half-skeletonized Keith Richards smoking a cigarette.
Keith Richards’ signed 1979 Fender Stratocaster Sunburst, which realized $50,000. Documentation from his guitar technician, C�sar Diaz, confirms Richards owned and played the instrument onstage and in the studio.
The prototype Gibson Crossroads ES-335 signed by all three members of Cream, which sold for $45,000. Retained by Eric Clapton as the approved prototype for Gibson’s limited-edition recreation of his celebrated 1963 ES-335, it is documented as the only example in the series signed by Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker.
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