June 21 (UPI) -- The auction of David Gilmour's guitar collection netted more than $21 million, which the legendary Pink Floyd guitarist is donating to efforts to battle climate change, Christie's announced.

The auction house said the 8-hour auction Thursday drew bidders from more than 66 countries. The collection of more than 120 guitars earned $21,490,750.

A Fender black Stratocaster set a worldwide auction record for a guitar, earning $3.97 million, blowing past its $150,000 estimate. Gilmour used the so-called Black Strat on Pink Floyd albums The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977) and The Wall (1979).

"It became my main guitar, the one I used pretty much on everything unless there was a reason to want a different sound," Gilmour said of the guitar.

Gilmour said he was "blown away" by the results of the auction.

He's donating all the proceeds from the sale to ClientEarth, a charity that funds legal battles fighting climate change.

"This is a truly humbling and extraordinary gift, which goes beyond our wildest expectations," ClientEarth CEO James Thornton said. "It's difficult to express just how deeply grateful we are to David for choosing for choosing ClientEarth as the beneficiary of this historic auction.

"This gift is a phenomenal boost to our work and will allow us to play an even greater role in addressing the climate crisis and securing a healthy planet for future generations." </s> The Pink Floyd legend's The David Gilmour Guitar Collection, made auction history as the largest sale of the musical instrument took place at Christie's at the Rockefeller Center in New York.

Out of the 75-year-old musician's 126 guitars, the 1969 Black Fender Stratocaster went for a record-breaking $3,975,000.

The Black Strat was used on the progressive rock group's classic albums 'The Wall', 'Wish You Were Here' and 'Dark Side of The Moon', and Gilmour's solo records, most recently 2015's 'Rattle That Lock'.

Prior to the sale, guitar legend Eric Clapton's collection held the record for the biggest guitar sale in the world, making $5,072,350 in 1999 and $7,438,624 in 2004, a combined total of $12,510,974.

Elsewhere, Gilmour's acoustic Martin D-35 was bought for $1,095,000 -- a record for the C.F. Martin guitar makers.

The 'Comfortably Numb' hitmaker used the distinctive instrument on 1975's 'Wish You Were Here' and 'Shine on You Crazy Diamond'.

The 1954 White Fender Stratocaster #0001 from 'Another Brick in the Wall (Parts 2 and 3)' sold for $1,815,000, which until the Black Strat went under the hammer, had set a record for Fender Stratocaster.

And a 1955 Gibson Les Paul and rare Gretsch White Penguin 6134 made $447,000 each for the charity ClientEarth, which Gilmour chose to donate all the proceeds made at the auction to.

The environmental and political activist 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.

''As Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish climate activist said in a speech earlier this year, 'Either we choose to go on as a civilisation, or we don't'.

''The choice really is that simple, and 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.''

ClientEarth CEO James Thornton commented: ''This is a truly humbling and extraordinary gift, which goes beyond our wildest expectations.

''It's difficult to express just how deeply grateful we are to David for choosing ClientEarth as the beneficiary of this historic auction.

''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.''

An impressive 12,000 fans were able to check out the guitars at locations in London, Los Angeles and New York before the sale and 500,000 people viewed the sought-after instruments on Christies.com.

Whilst 2,000 bidders from 66 countries registered their interest to place a bid.

The auction had to be delayed by one hour because of the number of people trying to enter the Rockefeller Center. </s> The David Gilmour Guitar Collection sells for $21.5 million

Bidders from all over the world compete to buy guitars from the personal collection of the Pink Floyd singer and songwriter, including ‘The Black Strat’, which realises $3,975,000

The David Gilmour Guitar Collection, the largest and most comprehensive sale of guitars ever offered at auction, told the story of one of the world’s most influential guitarists. The 126 lots, which included iconic instruments played by Gilmour on Pink Floyd’s greatest tracks as well as his solo albums, totalled $21,490,750 — the most valuable musical instruments sale in auction history — with proceeds being donated to ClientEarth. In the months leading up to the auction, over 12,000 fans attended the tour stops in London, Los Angeles and New York to get up-close to the guitars played by the Pink Floyd guitarist, singer and songwriter. In excess of 500,000 people viewed the content around the sale on Christies.com, and more than 2,000 bidders from 66 countries registered for the sale, which took place at Christie’s Rockefeller Center HQ.

Fans view David Gilmour’s guitars at Christie’s Rockefeller Center HQ in New York

On the day of the auction, the unprecedented level of interest was evident in the queues that snaked around the block and the fact a second saleroom had to be opened up to accommodate the crowds. The lucky ones who made it inside witnessed some extraordinary results. The best, however, was saved until last when ‘The Black Strat’, which was integral to the recording of Pink Floyd albums The Dark Side Of The Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977) and The Wall (1979), sold for $3,975,000 — a new world record for a guitar at auction.

The clamour to own a piece of rock history was evident from the very first lot — a 1966 solid-body Fender Stratocaster bought by Gilmour in 1970. Carrying an estimate of $10,000-15,000, it sold for $423,000. Immortalised for its part in legendary Pink Floyd tracks Wish You Were Here and Shine on You Crazy Diamond, Gilmour’s Martin D-35 was the next instrument to the block. The acoustic had an estimate of $10,000-20,000 but sold for $1,095,000 — a new world auction record for a C.F. Martin guitar. The opening riff on Wish You Were Here was actually composed on another Martin acoustic, a D12-28 12-string guitar that Gilmour bought from a friend in 1974. The instrument was estimated at $5,000-10,000 but realised $531,000.

Lot 20, the star’s 1954 White Fender Stratocaster #0001 (estimate: $100,000-150,000), was used on several recordings, including Another Brick in the Wall (Parts 2 and 3). It sold for $1,815,000, which was, for a couple of hours at least, a new world record for a Fender Stratocaster. Further highlights included a 1955 Gibson Les Paul, famous for Gilmour’s guitar solo on Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2). Estimated at $30,000-50,000, it sold for $447,000, a new auction record for a Gibson Les Paul, surpassing the previous record set for Les Paul’s own 1954 Les Paul Custom. A little later, an incredibly rare Gretsch White Penguin 6134 purchased by Gilmour in 1980 for his private collection, also realised $447,000 — a new auction record for a Gretsch.

On the eve of the sale David Gilmour announced on social media that proceeds would be donated to the charity ClientEarth. ‘The global climate crisis is the greatest challenge that humanity will ever face,’ he wrote, ‘and we are within a few years of the effects being irreversible. ‘As Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish climate activist, said in a speech earlier this year, “Either we choose to go on as a civilisation, or we don't”. The choice really is that simple and 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.’

Sign up today Christie's Online Magazine delivers our best features, videos, and auction news to your inbox every week Subscribe </s> A guitar heard on iconic Pink Floyd albums sold for a record $3.975 million at auction Thursday, and Jim Irsay is the instrument's new owner.

The Indianapolis Colts owner picked up three items at the David Gilmour Guitar Collection auction at Christie's New York salesroom:
• A 1969 black Fender Stratocaster known as "The Black Strat" for $3.975 million.
• The travel case used for "The Black Strat" for $175,000.

Irsay's $5.245 million in purchases made up 24% of the auction's $21.491 million in sales. Gilmour, who became a member of Pink Floyd in 1967, sold more than 120 guitars, amplifiers and the travel case.

Gilmour announced Wednesday he is donating all proceeds from the auction to ClientEarth, an environmental law organization with an announced mission of fighting climate change.

Larry C. Hall, vice president of special projects for the Colts, sat in the front row at Christie’s and served as Irsay’s proxy during bidding.

“There was incredible energy in the room,” Hall told IndyStar, mentioning that applause greeted the sale of each of the 127 items.

Before the auction, Christie's projected a sale price of $100,000 to $150,000 for "The Black Strat." The instrument's $3.975 million price shattered expectations and eclipsed a previous auction record of $2.7 million — paid in 2005 for a Stratocaster to raise funds for Asian tsunami relief. That guitar was signed by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Pete Townshend, Jeff Beck, Gilmour and other musicians.

“It was a major purchase, obviously,” Hall said of Gilmour’s Stratocaster. “But knowing those funds are going to charity, via David Gilmour, warms my and Jim Irsay’s heart.”

"The incomparable David Gilmour ... the greatest 'phrasing' guitarist in the world!! Honored to bring The Black Strat to the public. The most expensive guitar EVER purchased. And for charity!!!"

Gilmour played the guitar during the recording of Pink Floyd albums "The Dark Side of the Moon" (1973); "Wish You Were Here" (1975); "Animals" (1977); and "The Wall" (1979).

He played the Martin D-35 acoustic guitar on the title track of "Wish You Were Here."

The guitars are the latest additions to Irsay's instrument collection, which already boasted an orange 1963 Gretsch guitar once owned by John Lennon (purchased for $530,000 in 2015) and the "Yellow Cloud" guitar played by Prince (purchased for $137,500 in 2016).

Three items from Irsay's collection are on display at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of an exhibit titled "Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll."

The show, which runs April 8 to Oct. 1, includes Jerry Garcia's "Tiger" guitar (purchased by Irsay for $957,000 in 2002); the Stratocaster Bob Dylan played when "going electric" at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival (purchased for $965,000 in 2013); and the bass drum head used by Ringo Starr when the Beatles debuted on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1964 (purchased for $2.125 million in 2015).

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Call IndyStar reporter David Lindquist at 317-444-6404. Follow him on Twitter: @317Lindquist. </s> NEW YORK, N.Y. — Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour auctioned off his guitar collection for $21.5 million this week.

According to Christie’s Auction House, “The Black Strat” went for a record-breaking $3.9 million.

Gilmour announced on social media that all of the proceeds would be donated to the charity ClientEarth, whose mission is to help fight climate change.

“The global climate crisis is the greatest challenge that humanity will ever face, and we are within a few years of the effects being irreversible,” he wrote in his post.

Client Earth CEO James Thorton said in a press release that they are extremely grateful for the generous contribution. “This is a truly humbling and extraordinary gift, which goes beyond our wildest expectations. It’s difficult to express just how deeply grateful we are to David for choosing ClientEarth as the beneficiary of this historic auction,” said Thorton. I am pleased to announce that all the proceeds from the #GilmourGuitars Sale at @ChristiesInc in New York tomorrow will be donated to the charity @ClientEarth. (1/5) pic.twitter.com/uFJ1CvA6QK </s> Pink Floyd star David Gilmour sells guitar collection for nearly £17m at auction to fight climate change

Pink Floyd star David Gilmour sells guitar collection for nearly £17m at auction to fight climate change

His guitar collection sold for a total of nearly £17m at auction

Pink Floyd star David Gilmour has sold his guitar collection for a record amount at auction, raising money to fight against climate change.

The 73-year-old singer and guitarist sold more than 120 instruments for a total of almost £17m.

His 1969 Black Fender Stratocaster alone fetched £3.1m, setting a world auction record for any guitar.

The Black Strat was used on albums including The Wall, Wish You Were Here and Dark Side of the Moon.

More than 2,000 bidders from 66 countries registered for the sale, which was held at auction house Christie's in Rockefeller Centre in New York.

The auction house said it delayed the start of the sale by one hour after an "unprecedented number of bidders" turned up, leading a second saleroom to be opened up to accommodate the crowds.

Christie's said Gilmour's collection was the most valuable sale of musical instruments in auction history, beating a previous record held by Eric Clapton.

Gilmour was raising funds for ClientEarth, a charity made up of environmental lawyers.

The British musician said the current climate emergency was the "greatest challenge that humanity will ever face" and warned against the "irreversible" effects of climate change.

He said: "The choice really is that simple, and 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."

ClientEarth's chief executive James Thornton said the money was a "truly humbling and extraordinary gift" and would be a "phenomenal boost" to the charity's work.

One of the top lots at auction was Gilmour's 1954 White Fender Stratocaster which was played on Another Brick in the Wall and sold for £1.43m.

Gilmour admitted he was sad to lose the instruments.

He said: "These guitars have been very good to me and many of them have gifted me pieces of music over the years.

"They have paid for themselves many times over, but it's now time that they moved on."

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At the height of their popularity in the 1970s, Pink Floyd consisted of guitarist Gilmour, Nick Mason on drums, Roger Waters on bass and vocals, and Richard Wright on keyboard.

They are one of the best-selling groups ever. </s> Update: The purchaser of the Black Strat and the Martin D-35 was Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay. Thew New York Post reports Irsay spent $5.245 million at the auction yesterday, accounting for approximately 24% of its total sales. He celebrated the purchases on Twitter: “The incomparable David Gilmour.. the greatest ‘phrasing’ guitarist in the world!! Honored to bring The Black Strat to the public. The most expensive guitar EVER purchased. And for charity!!!”

Original story: If you’re one of the well-heeled bidders who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars at a guitar auction today, it’s time to have a cigar.

David Gilmour’s guitar collection set several auction records when nearly 130 instruments went up for bid at Christie’s in New York today. The former Pink Floyd frontman’s most iconic instrument, the so-called Black Strat, fetched $3,975,000, well above the estimated range of $100,000 to $150,000. Other big-ticket items included a 1954 Fender Stratocaster with the serial number 0001, which was used on the recording of “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2” went for over $1.8 million, a 1958 Gretsch White Penguin went for $447,000, and a 1955 Gibson Goldtop Les Paul, also used on “Another Brick” sold for $447,000. Christie’s declared all to be “world auction records.”

An acoustic 1969 Martin D-35, which Gilmour has used as his main acoustic in the studio since 1971, went for a little over $1 million, surpassing a record set by a Martin owned by Eric Clapton. A 1974 Electric Console stele guitar that Gilmour used on live performances of “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” went for $300,000 (it was estimated at $2,000). The 1976 Ovation Custom Legend he used to demo “Comfortably Numb” on went for $399,000. The guitar Gilmour played at Live Aid, a 1983 Fender Strat, went for $187,500. A 1984 Fender Stratocaster that George Harrison once played went for $212,500, while a 1986 Strat that Ringo Starr played went for $100,000. And Gilmour’s primary guitar for recording and performing between 1988 and 2005, the “Red Strat,” went for $615,000.

The auction’s final total was $21,490,750. It lasted eight hours, and bidders from 66 countries around the world participated.

“I’m both sad with losing some of the instruments and relieved to get this thing dealt with and that it will be doing some good,” Gilmour told Rolling Stone in January. “If I need a particular guitar, I’ll go out and buy another one. They are the tools of my trade. They have given me music, but in the end, they are the tools that I use.”

Interest in the auction was so high that online viewing maxed out early. The instruments had been shown at the auction house’s showrooms in London and Los Angeles earlier in the year before heading to New York. Before the auction was half over, Christie’s had logged over $10 million in total sales.

The auction’s centerpiece, the Black Strat, has a unique history, which is why it was so desirable. Gilmour purchased it at the instrument shop Manny’s in New York in May 1970 to replace another Strat that was stolen. Over the years, he made many modifications to it, changing its pickups, switches, inputs, tuners, and neck in the quest for the perfect sound. He played the instrument on nearly all of Pink Floyd’s iconic recordings from 1970 to 1983, including Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals, and The Wall. In the mid Eighties, Fender introduced a new line of Stratocasters and Gilmour picked up the Red Strat, retiring the Black Strat and loaning it to the Hard Rock Cafe. It was displayed in the restaurant chain’s Dallas location until 1997. Gilmour started using it again live for Pink Floyd’s reunion with Roger Waters in 2005 at Live 8. He continued to record with it on his solo albums, but Fender wound up making a replica of it in 2006 that he liked.

“You know something? For me, I can let go of it,” Gilmour told Rolling Stone. “It’s going to bring a lot of people to have a look at this sale, and it’s going to do that job. It’s a lovely guitar. … I did my ‘Comfortably Numb’ solo on it. The notes for the beginning of ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’ fell out of it one day. It’s on so much stuff, but Fender have made replica ones that they sell, and I have two or three of those that are absolutely perfect. One of those might be my future guitar of choice or even, horror of horror, maybe I’ll even change the color.”

A day before the auction, Gilmour revealed that the money from the auction would benefit ClientEarth, which funds environmental lawyers and experts in the fight against climate change. “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,” he said in a statement. “We need a civilized world that goes on for all our grandchildren and beyond in which these guitars can be played and songs can be sung.”

In an interview with Rolling Stone at the time the auction was announced, Gilmour underscored that the sale should not be interpreted as a step toward retirement. Instead, he said, he was merely cleaning house. “Retiring is not a hard and fast thing for me in my life,” he said. “I don’t really have to retire. I don’t have to say those words. I don’t have to state that have retired or anything like that. If I retire, it will be a quiet, unnoticeable process at some point. But I’m not at that moment.” </s> Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay shelled out a record amount of money in order to get his hands on a David Gilmour guitar.

According to the Indianapolis Star's David Lindquist, Irsay dropped $3.975 million on "The Black Strat," a 1969 black Fender Stratocaster, at an auction on Thursday. The guitar belonged to Gilmour, a member of the rock band Pink Floyd.

The previous auction record was $2.7 million, per Lindquist.

That hefty purchase was only part of Irsay's haul, though. He also took home a 1969 Martin D-35 acoustic guitar for $1.095 million and the travel case for "The Black Strat" for $175,000. All in all, he shelled out $5.245 million, which, according to Lindquist, made up 24 percent of the auction's sales.

Irsay let it be known ahead of the auction that he had his eyes on "The Black Strat." While calling Gilmour the "greatest 'phrasing' guitarist in the world," the 60-year-old Colts owner noted the auction was for charity:

Meanwhile, he will be sending Gilmour a special piece of memorabilia: </s> Colts owner Jim Irsay already owns a collection of guitars and musical instruments probably unrivaled outside the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Now, he's adding a really choice piece - the 1969 black Fender Stratocaster (aka "The Black Strat") played by Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour on iconic albums such as "The Dark Side of the Moon" and "The Wall."

Such a rarity didn't come cheap - Irsay paid $3.975 million for the guitar at the Christie's New York auction Thursday. That's an auction record for a guitar. But as owner of the Colts (estimated value: $2.4 billion), Irsay can afford some really expensive toys. As Pink Floyd noted in their 1973 hit, "Money," "Get a good job with good pay and you're OK … Think I'll buy me a football team."

While the auction officials had estimated the guitar would fetch somewhere between $100,000 and $150,000, some serious bidders drove the price up. Irsay shared his joy after his winning bid.

"The incomparable David Gilmour ... the greatest 'phrasing' guitarist in the world!!" Irsay tweeted. "Honored to bring The Black Strat to the public. The most expensive guitar EVER purchased. And for charity!!!"

Gilmour, regarded as one of the greatest guitar players in rock history, auctioned off 120 of his guitars to benefit ClientEarth, an environmental organization. Irsay bought two more pieces from Gilmour's collection - a 1969 Martin D-35 acoustic guitar ($1.095 million) and the case for "The Black Strat" ($175,000).

Irsay's collection includes around 200 guitars, with instruments played by Elvis, John Lennon, Prince, Bob Dylan and others. He even employs a caretaker for his collection. And Irsay's always on the lookout for other iconic items; earlier this year he purchased Lennon's "Sgt. Pepper" piano for an estimated $719,000.
David Gilmour auctions 120 guitars of his personal collection, raising $21.5 million, including $3.975 million for The Black Strat, his most iconic guitar.