ADDENDUM: RESERVE HAS BEEN REMOVED.
We are honored to represent a spectacular one-of-a-kind piece that will turn your home into an American history / Rock & Roll Hall of Fame / Smithsonian museum. It's rare enough to have the opportunity to bid on one of Les Paul's actual electric guitars that he owned and played, let alone one with such a unique artistic 9/11 tribute that speaks beautifully to those 2,977 victims who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. The 'Les Paul Standard Plus' electric guitar with serial no. 02441367 was lent by Paul to a retired New York City firefighter from Rescue 3 named Peter Ortel who then painted the colorful 9/11 tribute on the body's smooth maple flamed finish.
The heartfelt scene depicts (counter-clockwise from far end): two NYC firemen planting an American flag at Ground Zero; a candlelight vigil; a silhouette of two firefighters in a ladder bucket hosing down a burning building; a FDNY badge draped in mourner's black; another candlelight vigil with a partial view of a firetruck and yellow helmet; a scroll message reading "NEW YORK'S - SEPTEMBER 11, 2001" - BRAVEST" with a black helmet marked "343" in honor of the number of NYC firefighters who died saving others. A stars and stripes background gives the rendition an even more patriotic feel. Les Paul has autographed the guitar twice: on the face of the body in black marker and inside the back control panel in silver marker with the inscription "To Blank, Keep Pickin'! Les Paul."
Upon completion of the painting, the guitar was returned to Les Paul, who put on display at Madison Square Garden in March 2002 and later donated it for a platinum eBay charity auction in December 2002. All proceeds went to the Uniformed Firefighters Association Widows and Children Fund (www.ufanyc.org). The subsequent winning bidder of that eBay sale, a father of two girls with Cystic Fibrosis, then put the guitar up for auction in April 2011 to raise money for his daughters, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the Boomer Esiason Foundation. It sold for $29,875.
One of the most popular guitar players of his day, who many recall playing alongside Mary Ford, Les Paul became a legendary inventor and music pioneer when built the first solid-body guitar in 1940 called "The Log". By the early 1960's, after working with Gibson Guitar Corporation, his innovative design evolved into what more closely resembles the Gibson Les Paul model of today. Les Paul is largely credited with giving rock and roll the sound that transformed the music industry worldwide. He passed away in 2009 at the age of 94.
The guitar presents in pristine condition with all elements completely intact and in fine working condition. Measuring 39" at its longest and 13" at its widest, the guitar comes in its brown Gibson USA case with pink interior padding. The retail value of this guitar alone is around $5,000, but that omits the far greater intrinsic value of its tremendous provenance and importance as a 9/11 and Cystic Fibrosis fundraising memento. It is loaded with documentation tracing its provenance going back to its original owner Les Paul.
1) Letter of provenance verifying Les Paul's ownership from Gibson Musical Instruments addressed to owner from Reno Kling, Director ar Gibson Guitar Corp. in Nashville, TN.
2) Copy of Gibson press release: "Les Paul's 9/11 Gibson guitar on display at Madison Square Garden" featuring NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Marc Anthony and Thomas Mottola, Chairman/CEO Sony Music Entertainment, posing with guitar and announcing return of Grammy's to NYC.
3) Copy of Gibson 2-page press release: "Hand Painted 9/11 Les Paul Up for eBay Charity Auction"
4) Copy of Gibson press release: "American Red Cross/Helping.org"
5) Copy of 3-page eBay closed listing showing screen-name of winning bidder.
6) Copy of 4/12/2011 local press release "Axe of Honor: Lakeway collector auctions gem to benefit Cystic Fibrosis"
6) Copy of The Les Paul Story
7) Gibson Pure Guitar Catalog
Pre-certified by PSA/DNA.