Kurt Cobain
His cigarettes reach record bids at auction
Kurt Cobain preferred smoking menthol cigarettes.
© imago images
A pack of cigarettes that once belonged to Nirvana legend Kurt Cobain is about to become the secret star of a rock’n’roll auction.
Even if smoking is becoming increasingly unpopular, this pack of cigarettes is likely to fetch a record price: in a new auction that will take place on November 17th and 18th, a pack of cigarettes, the once grunge legend, will go under the hammer Kurt Cobain (1967-1994) heard.
The “American Spirit” pack of the menthol variety is still unopened and sealed. The auction house “Julien’s” writes about the offer: “American Spirit Menthols were the preferred brand of the late rock star.” The starting bid was 200 dollars (around 184 euros), the current bids were already at 3,000 dollars (around 2,766 euros) at noon on November 16th.
Other auction items: jeans, cardigan, sketches…
In addition to the cigarettes, other things from the Nirvana frontman are for sale. These include the jeans he wore in the music video for “Heart Shaped Box,” a yellow checkered vintage cardigan, pages from a sketchbook with song lyrics and drawings, and cassette tapes with handwritten notes.
All of the items were previously owned by Cobain’s roommate in a rehab clinic in Los Angeles. Cobain had spent a few days there at the urging of those around him, but fled on April 1, 1994. Four days later, on April 5, he was found on his property with a heroin overdose in his blood and a shot in the head.
From another collection, even more Cobain items are for sale, such as a portable amplifier, a broken and signed Fender and his pale blue Skystand I stage guitar.
Iconic rock and roll auction
The auction entitled “Played, worn & torn: Rock’n’Roll Iconic Guitars and Memorabilia”, in German “Played, Worn and Torn: Iconic Guitars and Rock’n’Roll Memorabilia” has numerous items from other musicians in the program. These include an acoustic guitar from Johnny Cash (1932-2003), a Bible from Elvis Presley (1935-1977), a ring from Janis Joplin (1943-1970) and a hippie-esque double-decker bus from Paul McCartney (81).