On November 18th of 1993, Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain and his bandmates Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic took the stage in an intimate studio in New York City to record an episode of MTV Unplugged. Just a few short months later in April of 1994, Cobain was found dead in his Seattle home — marking the tragic end to one of the era’s most gifted and troubled musicians. Now, the guitar he played on that historical television episode, a modified 1959 Martin D-18E, is headed to auction.
Even if this wasn’t the property of a legendary musician, this guitar would be special, as it was the seventh of just 302 ever produced before being heavily modified by Cobain himself. But this six-string acoustic-electric also comes with some bonus pieces that only serve to increase its desirability — including Cobain’s personal embellished hardshell case, picks, extra strings, and a curious little suede bag adorned with miniature silverware. Possibly Cobain’s most recognizable instrument, Julien’s is expecting this lot to sell for a whopping $1 million or more this June.
