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John Lennon’s 1964 Framus Hootenanny 12-string acoustic guitar sold for $2,857,500 at Julien’s Auctions’ Music Icons sale in May 2024. Julien’s had estimated it at $600,000 to $800,000; the reported sale price was more than four times the estimate’s high end. The auction house linked the guitar to the Beatles’ Help! film and recording sessions, as well as sessions for Rubber Soul.
How much did John Lennon’s ‘Help!’ guitar sell for?
Julien’s Auctions reported a sale price of $2,857,500 for the guitar at its May 2024 Music Icons auction. Its pre-sale estimate was $600,000–$800,000, according to the auction house. The reported result exceeded the estimate’s upper end by more than four times.
The sale report gives the sold price but does not break out a hammer price and buyer’s premium. It is therefore more accurate to call $2,857,500 the reported sale price, not the hammer price. Julien’s described the guitar as the fifth most expensive guitar sold at the time of its report; that is a dated ranking, not a verified current all-time position. Julien’s May 29, 2024 sale report.
What guitar did Lennon play in ‘Help!’?
The instrument was a 1964 Framus Hootenanny, a 12-string acoustic guitar. Julien’s said it was used in the Help! film, including the “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away” scene, and reported that it had been matched to session photographs and film stills.
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According to Julien’s, the guitar was heard on Beatles recordings including “Help!,” “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away,” “It’s Only Love,” and “I’ve Just Seen a Face.” The auction house also connected it to the Rubber Soul sessions, including “Girl” and the rhythm track for “Norwegian Wood,” played by George Harrison. These are Julien’s identifications and recording claims, rather than an independently established sessionography. Julien’s April 23, 2024 announcement.
Where was the guitar found, and how did it resurface?
Julien’s said the guitar had been unseen for more than 50 years before homeowners found it in an attic in the British countryside while moving. The auction house traced its later possession to Gordon Waller of Peter & Gordon, who gave it to the duo’s road managers; it said the homeowners then contacted Julien’s.
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Julien’s also reported finding and rescuing the guitar’s original Australian-made Maton case from the property’s trash. According to the auction house, the case appears in photographs from the Beatles’ 1965 period. These provenance details are Julien’s account of the instrument’s history. The auction house’s announcement also quoted co-founder and executive director Darren Julien describing the guitar as preserved in the attic for more than 50 years and saying it “still looks and plays like a dream.” That is his characterization, not an independent condition report. Julien’s discovery announcement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the sale says—and does not say—about guitar values
The $2,857,500 result reflects one unusually significant collectible: a guitar attributed to Lennon and Harrison, connected by the auction house to Beatles recordings and film, and accompanied by a reported provenance story. It is not a price guide for ordinary Framus instruments or 12-string acoustic guitars. The sale establishes neither a typical resale value for those instruments nor a market-wide trend.
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For listeners interested in the music tied to the guitar, the Beatles’ Help! album is separate from the auctioned instrument; the sale was for the guitar, not an album edition.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
