A guitar played by Tom Petty during the 1987 Bob Dylan True Confessions tour is up for auction with a starting bid of $ 150,000. The 1965 Gibson SG Cherry Electric guitar has been signed “Tom Petty / ’88” by the beloved music legend in silver paint, and includes an 8″ x 10″ black and white glossy photo of Bob Dylan and Tom Petty – holding this guitar – on stage together, with a note on the verso in black felt pen, in Petty’s own hand, reading “This was my SG on Dylan Tour ’87 / Tom Petty”.
The guitar is in a lot along with a hat worn by Petty on stage, as well as for the Traveling Wilburys’ “Handle With Care” and “End of the Line” videos, and during a 1989 MTV news segment in which Jeff Lynne, George Harrison and Tom Petty were interviewed following the death of Roy Orbison. The hat is signed by Petty on the inside and is accompanied by photos depicting Petty wearing the hat on stage and in the studio.
Vintage guitar dealer Norman Harris obtained the guitar and hat from Petty when he traded it for a Rickenbacker Double Bound 360 12-string that Petty had wanted. The Rickenbacker subsequently became Petty’s favourite guitar and, knowing Harris would eventually sell the Gibson and the hat, Petty signed them at the time of the trade.
“Both of these things could have been sold years ago,” said the current owner via Heritage Auctions. “But because I felt these were very special Tom Petty pieces, he hung on to them for years. I probably would never have sold them, but at 69 years old, I feel it’s time for somebody else to enjoy these great pieces of memorabilia.”
Heritage Auctions’ 2018 July 21 Entertainment & Music Memorabilia Signature Auction is open now.
