A collection of five Charvel Art Series guitars that had been stage-played and signed by the late guitar icon Eddie Van Halen sold for $210,225 at an auction held this past weekend by Julien’s Auctions.
Two black-and-yellow Bumblebee-inspired models sold for $38,400 and $41,600, a red-and white-Frankenstein Mark II-styled six-string sold for $40,625, a reverse-colorway Charvel sold for $38,400, and a black-and-silver striped EVH-signed Art Series guitar sold for $51,200.
On the last of the late legendary rock guitarist’s Charvel legendary EVH guitars he played on stage, the Stealth black body with a silver hand-striped design by Van Halen, possibly in tribute to his EVH Wolfgang guitar, is applied with four white “Van Halen / 2012” guitar picks attached to a strip of adhesive tape, and is signed and inscribed “Kansas City / MO / 5.22.12 / Eddie Van Halen / Van Halen / 2012,” with an additional note “Last one!!” indicating that this was his last Charvel stage-played EVH guitar. The lot came with a photograph of Eddie Van Halen playing the guitar live on stage with VAN HALEN at Kansas City Sprint Center, on May 22, 2012. Other Eddie Van Halen Charvel EVH Art Series electric guitars included: a red guitar with a unique black and white hand-striped design by Van Halen that pays homage to his legendary “Frankenstein” Mark II guitar — and is uniquely numbered “5150” — the name of EVH‘s recording studio (and also the date that he played this guitar), signed and inscribed by EVH in silver sharpie: “Baltimore, MD / 5.15.08 / Eddie Van Halen / Van Halen ’08” that comes with a DVD featuring footage from the show of Van Halen playing this guitar live on stage at First Mariner Arena, Baltimore, Maryland on May 15, 2008, and a Van Halen 2007-08 tote bag; a black guitar with a unique, yellow hand-striped design by Van Halen in tribute to his “Bumblebee” guitar, signed and inscribed in silver sharpie: “8.7.04 / Las Vegas NV / Eddie Van Halen / Van Halen / 04” that comes with a black custom EVH tour flight case (not the standard hard case that typically accompanies these guitars,) a photograph of EVH playing the guitar live on stage with VAN HALEN at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, Paradise, Nevada on August 7, 2004, a certificate of authenticity signed by Van Halen, two “VH” guitar picks, a ticket from the show, a corresponding backstage pass, and a Mandalay Bay hotel room key card; a yellow guitar with a unique, black hand-striped design by Van Halen in tribute to his “Bumblebee” guitar, signed and inscribed in black sharpie: “Des Moines IA. / 2.6.08 / Eddie Van Halen / Van Halen 2008” that comes with a black custom EVH hard case, a photograph of Eddie playing the guitar live on stage with VAN HALEN at Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, Iowa on February 6, 2008, and a certificate of authenticity signed by Van Halen and a black body with a unique, yellow hand-striped design by Van Halen in tribute to his “Bumblebee” guitar with the words: “Las Vegas” partly visible under the bridge, signed and inscribed in silver sharpie: “Las Vegas NV. / 12.30.07 / Eddie Van Halen / Van Halen 2007,” which comes with a black custom EVH hard case, a photograph of EVH playing the guitar live on stage with VAN HALEN at MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas on December 30, 2007 (the last date of the first leg of VAN HALEN‘s 2007/08 tour), and a certificate of authenticity signed by Van Halen.
Last December, Eddie Van Halen‘s son Wolfgang criticized an auction of three of his late father’s guitars. The instruments were sold for a total of $422,050 through Julien’s Auctions as part of a larger music memorabilia event called “Icons & Idols”. The 30-year-old said the sellers were “taking advantage of my father’s passing”, and he had “nothing to do with” the sale. “I don’t EVER plan on selling any of my father’s iconic guitars,” he said.
In the early 1970s, Eddie and his older brother, drummer Alex Van Halen, founded their namesake group and soon after with bassist Michael Anthony and singer David Lee Roth, conquered the world and entered into the pantheon of rock as of one of the greatest hard rock bands of all time. VAN HALEN dominated the music charts, MTV and sold out arenas around the world, thrilling audiences with their high-flying, energetic live shows throughout the ’80s and into the ’90s with classic hits “Runnin’ With The Devil”, “Unchained”, “Hot For Teacher”, “Panama”, “Jump” and more.
Eddie passed away in October at the age of 65. His death was announced by his son Wolfgang.
VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.
Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.
