Rock legend memorabilia in 'A Century of Music' up for auction

[July 08, 2021]  By Alicia Powell

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Memorabilia from emblematic 20th century musical events and acts such as the Woodstock Festival, the Beatles, Van Halen, and Lynyrd Skynyrd are up for grabs in an online auction next week.

Surprising items include former U.S. President Bill Clinton's saxophone, and the doors from New York's Hotel Chelsea where Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and Jerry Garcia once lived.

Also featured are Benny Goodman's clarinet, and a guitar used by the late Eddie Van Halen who gave his rock band its name and sound.

"This was a handmade original and so it certainly should bring a six-figure amount, one would think," said Arlan Ettinger, president of Guernsey's Auction.

Original photos and slides of the 1969 Woodstock concert taken onstage by the official photographer Barry Levine are up for sale, along with the Leica still camera he used to record the event.

Other items include original works by John Lennon and guitars owned by Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney.

Proceeds from guitars once owned by Jason Becker will go toward the medical costs of the musician's battle with ALS.

The 'A Century of Music' auction takes place online July 14-15.

(Reporting by Alicia Powell; Editing by Richard Chang)

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