Colts Owner Jim Irsay Spends Record $3.975M on David Gilmour Guitar at Auction
June 21, 2019
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay shelled out a record amount of money in order to get his hands on a David Gilmour guitar.
According to the Indianapolis Star's David Lindquist, Irsay dropped $3.975 million on "The Black Strat," a 1969 black Fender Stratocaster, at an auction on Thursday. The guitar belonged to Gilmour, a member of the rock band Pink Floyd.
The previous auction record was $2.7 million, per Lindquist.
That hefty purchase was only part of Irsay's haul, though. He also took home a 1969 Martin D-35 acoustic guitar for $1.095 million and the travel case for "The Black Strat" for $175,000. All in all, he shelled out $5.245 million, which, according to Lindquist, made up 24 percent of the auction's sales.
Irsay let it be known ahead of the auction that he had his eyes on "The Black Strat." While calling Gilmour the "greatest 'phrasing' guitarist in the world," the 60-year-old Colts owner noted the auction was for charity:
Meanwhile, he will be sending Gilmour a special piece of memorabilia:
A win-win all around.