Get ready if you covet rock treasures: the second 1984 Cloud guitar that belonged to Prince is set to be auctioned.
The famous axe will go under the hammer (figuratively, of course) next month as part of Julien’s Auctions Music Icons Event.
“It’s the most significant Prince guitar that’ll ever come up for auction,” auction house founder and president Darren Julien says.
The auction will be held from June 19th to June 20th in Beverly Hills, California – and, if you want to watch (or even participate), the event will be live online.
Be warned if you’re thinking of throwing in a bid – considering its legacy and it’s almost spiritual attachment to an artist with such legendary status – Julien expects it will fetch upwards of $500,000.
This particular rock artefact has a storied history: it was remodelled and repainted innumerable times before attaining its, final, classic electric blue colour.
Nicknamed ‘The Blue Angel’, the instrument became one of the Purple One’s primary means of working his mojo throughout the eighties. It was the axe of choice throughout the 1984/1985 Purple Rain tour and made guest appearances on MTV, The Arsenio Hall Show, Saturday Night Live and in music videos.
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The instrument also made appearances on 1986’s Parade Tour, 1987’s Sign o’ the Times Tour, the 1988-1989 Lovesexy Tour and a 1991 cover of Spin magazine.
Ironically, when Julien first announced that the guitar — it was advertised under the nondescript title “a custom-made 1984 blue Cloud guitar used by Prince”. It was only when guitar expert John Woodland heard the news of its sale and called the auction house that Julien learned of its unique status – one of only four original guitars created that are each beautifully unique.
Anyone got a spare $500,000?
