Kurt Cobain’s MTV Unplugged guitar sells for record £4.8m at auction

Instrument is now the most expensive guitar ever bought at auction

A guitar played by late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain has sold at auction for a record $6m (£4.8m).

The retro acoustic-electric 1959 Martin D-18E was played by Cobain during his famous MTV Unplugged performance in 1993, five months before his death.

According to Julien’s Auctions, the guitar (sold at $6.01m after fees) is now the most expensive ever to be bought at auction.

The instrument had a starting estimate of $1m (£800,000) before the auction.

At $6.01m after fees, the guitar is the most expensive ever sold at auction, Julien’s Auctions said. Bidding was won by Rode Microphones founder Peter Freedman.

The guitar was sold along with its original case, which Cobain had decorated with a poster from the 1990 album Feel the Darkness by Poison Idea.

Three baggage claim ticket stubs are attached to the handle, and the case also contains guitar strings, picks and a suede “stash bag”.

According to the auction house, the winning bidder said he would take the guitar on a global tour to raise money for the performing arts.

He described acquiring the guitar as a “once-in-a-lifetime oppurtunity”.