The guitar was gifted to Saint Pope John Paul II by B.B. King during the 1997 Vatican Christmas concert
The historic sale set to take place on Catawiki from 3 - 12 May and has an estimated price between 65,000 - 75,000 euros
Amsterdam, 29 April 2024 - From B.B. King’s stage to The Vatican, who is next in line to own this historic Gibson guitar? The answer is soon to be discovered as the instrument comes to auction on Catawiki, the leading online marketplace for special objects.
During the 1997 Vatican Christmas concert, the blues king gifted the Gibson guitar “Lucille” to Saint Pope John Paul II. King didn’t specify which "Lucille" he presented - the first "Lucille" is long gone, but all of his subsequent Gibson guitars were named after the original - nonetheless, after presenting the signed instrument, King commented, “for me it was a very emotional experience. Being close to him is like approaching a source of spiritual energy. I gave him my guitar as a sign of respect.”
In 2004, the guitar fell into the hands of the Superintendent of the Vatican during the Epiphany charity raffle organised by the Gendarmerie. Twenty years later, the Superintendent’s son plans to sell the guitar on Catwiki. Simone Sedda, Music Expert at Catawiki, estimates this guitar could sell for between 65,000 - 75,000 euros, and shared his thoughts on the upcoming historic sale, “whatever your religion, it’s hard to imagine an instrument to have been in the hands of two more culturally significant figures of the 20th century. This guitar exemplifies the extraordinary capacity of music to transcend borders and bring people together. I am thrilled to be a part of Lucille’s journey.”
This won’t be the first time that an item owned by the pope finds its way to auction on Catawiki. Just last month, a Pinarello Dogma F12, gifted to Pope Francis in 2021 by Egan Bernal, the 2019 Tour de France winner and then Giro d’Italia champion, was sold for €14,000.
Celebrity-owned and signed guitars can often be discovered at auction on Catawiki. Here are just a few others from recent auctions:
The Gibson will be auctioned from 12.00PM CET, 3 May - 8.00PM CET, 12 May on Catawiki.
ENDS
Editor’s notes
High resolution images of the guitar can be downloaded here.
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