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    • Posts Tagged ‘Bono’

    BONO’S GIFT TO QUINCY JONES AT CHRISTIE’S, GENEVA

    Wednesday, April 8th, 2026

    A 22 karat gold and colored diamond-set pendant and chain necklace, estimate CHF10,000-15,000 / US$13,000-19,000

    A gold and colored diamond pendant given to Quincy Jones by Bono as an 80th birthday present will come up at Christie’s in Geneva on May 11. The Rare Watches live auction at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues with property from the late Quincy Jones includes three highly desirable pieces. His Patek Philippe Nautilus REF. 3700/1JA, the pendant and a Girard Perregaux watch presented to the artist by Andrea Bocelli in recognition for his lifetime dedication to international charitable endeavors.

    Quincy Jones and Sir Michael Caine (both born on 14 March 1933), celebrated their 80th birthdays at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The sumptuous event also served as a fundraiser: the 17th annual Power of Love Gala. Whilst addressing the audience Quincy Jones said: “I’m so proud of this night being on behalf of charity. Living, laughing, loving and giving … that’s what life is about.” The evening opened with a pre-dinner performance by Bono, who keyed in on the Sinatra phase of Jones’ career with performances of “I Got You Under My Skin” and “Fly Me to the Moon”. Bono presented a special birthday gift to Quincy Jones: a gold necklace, featuring a 22 carat gold and colored diamond-set pendent with an engraving on the back ‘B4Q80’, standing for ‘Bono for Quincy, 80th birthday’, adding a deeply personal and commemorative dimension to this meaningful piece.

    Quincy Jones’ Patek Philippe Nautilus, ref. 3700/1JA was manufactured and sold in 1981, making it Mr. Jones’ property for 43 years. 1981 marked important moments in the artist’s career: he received a Grammy nomination for Producer of the Year and won the award for Best Instrumental Arrangement, as well as overseeing the production of Michael Jackson’s album Thriller (1982).

    Patek Philippe Nautilus ref 3700/1JA manufactured in 1981, estimate CHF100,000-200,000 / US$130,000-250,000 |

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    BEWICK, BONO, KNUTTEL – WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE?

    Saturday, June 28th, 2025

    Self Portrait – Baked Bean Boy by Paul Hewson (Bono)  at Whyte’s. UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,050 AT HAMMER

    The Irish art market reflects global trends and right now these trends are particularly favourable to online sales of the type that Whyte’s will hold on June 30 and Morgan O’Driscoll on July 1.

    Auctions of affordable art by popular Irish and international artists are where the market is at. The value of art sold last year went down but the number of transactions grew because of greater activity at lower levels. Even as the market remains in a state of flux the interest in acquiring art is on the up.  In Ireland and around the world more and more people are prepared to buy online at lower prices even as global uncertainty contributes to a situation where fewer records are being broken at the top. 

    Celebrity sells and Whyte’s will have offerings by Bono (a self portrait though not one that you recognise him in) and Damien Hirst among their offerings.  The screenprint by Bono – Self Portrait – Baked Bean Boy – is estimated at just €300-€400.  Heart Spin, the acrylic by Damien Hirst, is among the most expensive offerings in the auction with an estimate of €2,500-€3,500.

    Seaside Day by Brian MacMahon at Morgan O’Driscoll. UPDATE: THIS MADE 850 AT HAMMER

    Among the art at the Morgan O’Driscoll sale is a poster by Tracey Emin and a preparatory design by Mainie Jellett for The Stations of the Cross. The latter artist  is currently on show at the National Gallery where The Art of Friendship exhibition featuring paintings, stained glass and preparatory drawings by Mainie Jellett and Evie Hone continues until August 10.

    With estimates from €80 and €100 up at both Whyte’s and Morgan O’Driscoll there should be more than enough to tempt newcomers to the exciting world of Irish art auctions.  They will join a growing band of seasoned collectors. 

    One of a set of six prints from the Irish animal series by Pauline Bewick at Whyte’s. UPDATE: THIS MADE 3,200 AT HAMMER

    Choices from 286 lots at Whytes include work by Gerard Byrne, Cecil Maguire, Desmond Carrick, Susan Webb, Peter Curling, Banksy, Pauline Bewick, John B Yeats, Tom Nisbet, Harry Kernoff and Joseph Sloan.

    The were will be 430 lots at Morgan O’Driscoll’s sale with work by Graham Knuttel, Donald Teskey, Brian MacMahon, Gretta O’Brien, Ken Hamilton, Bridget Flannery, Ivan Sutton, Annemarie Bourke, Louis le Brocquy, Arthur Armstrong, Maria Simonds-Gooding and Maurice Desmond. 

    On Watch by Graham Knuttel at Morgan O’Driscoll. UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,500 AT HAMMER

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    NEW WORLD RECORD FOR THE MOST EXPENSIVE PRINCE GUITAR SOLD

    Friday, May 31st, 2024

    Prince’s original “Cloud 3” electric guitar used in his iconic ’80s-’90s tours from Purple Rain to Diamonds & Pearls, set a new world record for the most expensive Prince guitar ever sold at auction when it made $910,000 at Julien’s Music Icons sale in New York. Bono’s iconic U2 signed 2005 Gretsch G6136i “Irish Falcon” sold for $260,000, Steve Jones’ custom 1974 Gibson Les Paul electric guitar, recently verified as the punk rock icon’s true original and iconic Sex Pistols axe, sold for $390,000, Adam Clayton’s Fender Rose Sparkle Precision bass guitar from the U2 Las Vegas residency sold for $260,000, ans Cliff Williams’ circa 1980s AC/DC teal double cutaway precision style bass guitar with eight mother of pearl inlaid “penis” motifs sold for $22,750.

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    PETER AND THE WOLF ILLUSTRATED BY BONO AT DE VERES

    Sunday, July 16th, 2023

    A limited edition of Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev illustrated by Bono comes up at de Veres current online auction of Irish and international art and 20th century design now open for bidding. Lot 110, number 33 from an edition of 200, comprises a set of six lithograph sheets (one signed) and a CD performed by Gavin Friday. The estimate is €500-€700. The sale offers a selection of design furniture by makers like Willy Rizzo, Charles and Ray Eames, Fendi and Roche Bobois including armchairs, dining tables, chairs, cabinets, desks and lamps.  There is a selection of affordable art  from a variety of artists including Hughie O’Donoghue, Michael Coleman, Gwen O’Dowd, Ciaran Lennon, Patrick Collins, Tony O’Malley, William Crozier, Corban Walker, Tim Goulding and Charles Tyrrell among 168 lots in total.  Bidding starts to close from 2 pm on July 18. UPDATE: THIS MADE 500 AT HAMMER

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    A $595,900 SMASHED GUITAR (BY KURT COBAIN) AT JULIEN’S

    Sunday, May 21st, 2023
    Fender Stratocaster electric guitar smashed by Kurt Cobain

    A lefty black Fender Stratocaster electric guitar smashed by Kurt Cobain, during Nirvana’s seminal Nevermind era made an astounding $595,000 – nearly ten times its original estimate of $60,000 – at Julien’s Music Icons sale at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York. The reassembled but unplayable guitar signed by all three members of Nirvana, Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, and Dave Grohl, with additional inscriptions to Mark Lanegan (of Screaming Trees) by Cobain that read: “Hell-o Mark! Love, Your Pal, Kurdt Kobain / Washed up rockstar” as well as the inscription Boddah Lives engraved to the neck plate (referring to Cobain’s childhood imaginary friend) is housed in a black hard case with “Abort Christ” written on the top in white block letters and includes a white Ernie Ball guitar strap.

    Bono’s 2002 Gretsch Irish Falcon electric guitar made $238,125. The guitar signed by all four members of U2 was donated by Bono when he was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year in 2003. A devotee of the Gretsch 6196 Country Club, Bono commissioned ten Irish Falcon electric guitars from Gretsch in 2000. Over 1,200 pieces of music history from rock royalty owned and used by stars like Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Lifeson, Freddie Mercury, Led Zeppelin, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, KISS, Mötley Crüe, Tom Petty, Lenny Kravitz, and more with special collections from Amy Winehouse, Bill Wyman, Bette Midler and Julian Lennon, sold in front of a live audience and online with thousands of bidders, fans and collectors from around the world participating at julienslive.com The three-day sale will close on today (May 21) with property from Janet Jackson.

    Bono’s 2002 Gretsch Irish Falcon electric guitar 

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    BONO GRETCSH PROTOTYPE GUITAR AT JULIEN’S AUCTIONS

    Sunday, February 28th, 2021

    Anyone for a prototype of Bono’s Gretsch Irish Falcon model 6136 electric guitar?  The Gretsch family, one of the most celebrated names in the music industry, is opening up their archive for the first time to benefit their music foundation. On offer live and online at Juliens Auctions, Beverly Hills, on March 26 and 27, is part of their collection of guitars.  These were used as early generation prototypes of signature instruments by music legends  like Bono, George Harrison, Tom Petty, Chet Atkins, Brian Setzer and many more.  Gretsch has been the premier manufacturers of the worlds finest guitars and drums since 1883. Among the highlights of the sale is Bono’s prototype, which comes complete with green finish, two pickups with The Goal is Soul on the pickguard and gold hardware.  The estimate is $8,000-$10,000.

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    A BONO SELF PORTRAIT SKETCH AT HEGARTY’S IN BANDON

    Friday, April 7th, 2017

    THE SELF PORTRAIT BY BONO.

    A Bono self portrait sketch comes up at Hegarty’s sale in Bandon next Sunday.  The sketch by the globally known lead singer with U2, songwriter, venture capitalist and philanthropist is situated in a most un rockstar like position on the catalogue between a tall glass cabinet with gilt wood decoration and a large chesterfield leather sofa.

    Lot 29 in a sale due to start at 4 p.m. is a pen sketch signed in the centre by Paul “Bono” Hewson.  It measures 17″ x 13.75″ approximately.

    Dated 2007, it comes complete with a certificate of authenticity.  More than 300 lots will come under the hammer.

    (See post on antiquesandartireland.com for April 2, 2017)

    UPDATE: THIS MADE 380 AT HAMMER

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    BONO’S GRETSCH IRISH FALCON ELECTRIC GUITAR AT BONHAMS

    Wednesday, March 22nd, 2017

    THE GRETSCH “IRISH FALCON” ELECTRIC GUITAR SIGNED BY U2

    A Gretsch “Irish Falcon” electric guitar signed by U2 from Bono’s personal collection comes up at Bonham’s in New York on March 27.

    At Bono’s request, Gretsch built only ten “Irish Falcon” guitars to be used in U2’s Elevation Tour  in 2001. This is one of the earliest such prototypes. The Irish Falcon has become Bono’s signature instrument for performing.

    In 2003, MusiCares charity recognized Bono as their Person of the Year and held a tribute in his honor in New York. This guitar, signed by all four members of U2, was auctioned to benefit MusiCares that night.

    The electric guitar, with laminated maple hollow single cutaway body and evergreen finish, comes with gold sparkle binding, maple neck and fretboard with mother-of-pearl humpback inlays.
    It is signed “Bono 2007,” “Edge,” “Adam Clayton,” “Larry Mullen, Jr.” in silver permanent marker and estimated at US$180,000-220,000.

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