A self-drawn caricature by Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain sold at auction for more than $281,000 (€230,000), 28 times its estimate.
The drawing, done in black felt pen on stationary from Singapore’s TNT Music Centre, featured Cobain’s likeness playing guitar.
The revered musician, who took his own life aged 27 in 1994, signed the sketch “Kurdt Kobain Rock Star” and wrote on the drawing, “I don’t know how to play and I don’t give a hoot!”.
It fetched $281,250, having started the event with a guide price of $10,000.
Cobain gave the drawing to Jacque Chong, a freelance photographer who worked with him during Nirvana’s Nevermind album promotional tour in Singapore in 1992.
The buyer, who wishes to remain anonymous, is a private collector and fan of Cobain, auctioneers told the PA news agency.
The drawing was sold during Julien’s Auctions Music Icons three-day event, which saw almost $5 million of memorabilia go under the hammer.
A 1994 blue Cloud guitar made by Andy Beech and commissioned and owned by music titan Prince fetched $281,255, far exceeding its estimate of $60,000.
The instrument included an inventory tag from Prince’s Paisley Park base.
A white Schecter cloud guitar, custom-built in the mid-1990s for Prince and Paisley Park Retail Inc, sold for $50,000.
Five of late rocker Eddie Van Halen’s Charvel EVH Art Series electric guitars — including his last stage-played guitar of the series — sold for a total of $210,225.
Van Halen, widely regarded as one of the greatest rock guitarists of all time, died in October aged 65 following a battle with cancer.
A drum kit belonging to his brother, Alex Van Halen, co-founder of their band Van Halen, was auctioned for the first time.
The custom designed Ludwig drum kit, which was played in more than 100 shows on Van Halen’s 1980 Invasion Tour and later displayed in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame for five years, sold for $230,400.
A glossy red Yamaha Elton John Signature Series C-1 Baby Grand Piano, signed by the singer and including the matching bench, fetched $150,000.
Handwritten lyrics by Bernie Taupin for Sir Elton’s 1974 single Candle In The Wind went under the hammer for $76,800.
A famed item from the storied career of Cher was also auctioned.
The black jersey and net cut-out bodysuit and matching black motorcycle jacket immortalised in the music video for 1989 song If I Could Turn Back Time went for $115,200.
The outfit has previously been auctioned and a buyer loaned it to Cher, so she could wear it while presenting a prize to Lady Gaga at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards.
It was originally sold by Julien’s Auctions in Property From The Collection Of Cher event in 2006 for $60,000.
At the Music Icons auction over the weekend, handwritten letters from Britney Spears to her high school boyfriend were snapped up by an anonymous buyer.
A break-up letter from the future superstar to Donald “Reg” Jones, from her hometown of McComb, Missouri, fetched $5,625.
And a separate note, written by Spears to Jones and complaining about his attitude, went for $5,000.
