25 April 2007 - The “Icons of Music,” auction held Saturday, April 21, 2007 in New York to benefit Music Rising, a campaign co-founded by U2’s The Edge raised $2.5 million.

Julien’s Auctions conducted the sale and bidders from around the world paid record prices for some of the most iconic rock memorabilia ever offered to the public. The Edge’s beloved 1975 cream Gibson Les Paul Custom guitar, which was played on every U2 tour since 1985, sold for a record $240,000. His Gibson ES-295 Archtop guitar brought $105,000 and Bono’s signed guitar brought $187,500. The auction marked the first time such a wide selection of U2 memorabilia was available to collectors. Among the more than 200 items sold were former President Bill Clinton’s saxophone ($54,000), a pair of John Lennon’s round, blue-tinted sunglasses ($30,000), Bono’s Armani sunglasses and signed case ($24,000), Kurt Cobain’s MTV Award ($40,800), Slash’s Signature model signed Gibson guitar ($20,000), The Edge’s jacket ($33,000), and a guitar owned by Jimi Hendrix sold for a record $410,000.

Left to Right: Adam Clayton of U2, Steven Van Zandt of “Sopranos” and Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, the evening’s co-host Christy Turlington, The Edge, and Allen Toussaint. Photograph Courtesy of Music Rising

Music Rising, a campaign launched in 2005 to replace musical instruments lost or destroyed by hurricanes in the Gulf Region, was formed in late 2005 by U2’s The Edge, legendary producer Bob Ezrin, and Gibson Guitar Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz. The initiative continues to aid those in need through its consistent efforts to aid professional musicians, churches and schools.