Classic Pop Icons

A guitar previously owned by both John Lennon and Bob Dylan, and a handwritten letter by Elvis Presley are among the star lots at an auction in Dallas, Texas later this month.

John Lennon purchased the Gibson J-160 E Sunburst acoustic-electric guitar in 1967 and used it throughout the following year, including during the Beatles’ expedition to Rishikesh, India. Lennon gifted the guitar to Bob Dylan around Christmas 1968 and Dylan used the guitar for recording and on tour for many years.

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After Lennon died, Dylan reportedly became superstitious about owning the guitar and so gave it to guitar technician César Diáz.

The Gibson J-160 E was a model that John Lennon had used for years. His first J-160 E was ordered from America in September 1962 and arrived just in time for him to play it on the session that produced “Love Me Do,” “Please Please Me” and “P.S. I Love You.” Gibson recognised Lennon’s long association with the guitar last year when they released three special J-160 E models to mark the seventieth anniversary of his birth.

The guitar is expected to fetch around $200,000.

Also featured in the sale is a four-page letter that Elvis wrote to his girlfriend Anita Wood in 1958. The letter was written six weeks after Elvis arrived in Germany, where he was stationed for his military service. Elvis was not a regular letter writer and so genuine examples are very hard to come by. This is an exceptional lot.

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The letter is expected to sell for around $60,000.

Another exciting Elvis lot is a Martin 00-21 acoustic guitar used by the star on stage in the early part of his career. It was later gifted to Hawaii Five-O star Jack Lord.

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The guitar is expected to fetch around $75,000.

Heritage Auctions will put these items under the hammer on July 29 as part of their Music and Entertainment auction in Dallas, Texas. Click here for further information.