The legendary 1975 Gibson Les Paul once belonging to late Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley has officially sold for $512,000. The historic instrument served as the centerpiece of the “Music Icons” live auction event, hosted by Julien’s Auctions across May 29 and May 30 at the Hard Rock Cafe Times Square in New York City.
Carrying an initial pre-auction estimate of $400,000 to $600,000, the prized guitar was a constant companion throughout Frehley‘s career. The instrument accompanied him in the studio and on stage more than any other piece of gear in his collection, helping to cement his status on virtually every list of the greatest Les Paul players in rock history.
In addition to the 1975 Les Paul, several other pieces of Frehley‘s personal memorabilia exceeded their original auction estimates. Notable sales included:
- A 1997 Gibson Signature Les Paul Custom played during Super Bowl XXXIII ($57,600)
- A Sanchez Custom Gibson Les Paul Jr. utilized during the 1996 Kiss reunion tour ($57,600)
- His stage-worn costume from the Destroyer era ($51,200)
- A stage-worn jumpsuit shared by Frehley and Arthur Kane of The New York Dolls ($11,520)
- A tour jacket from the 1977 Rock And Roll Over trek ($8,960)
The “Music Icons” event, organized in partnership with Hard Rock Cafe, offered collectors a rare chance to acquire genre-defining artifacts, ranging from handwritten lyrics to stage-played instruments, from the last half-century of music history.
The monumental auction comes in the wake of the tragic passing of the founding Kiss guitarist, who died last October at the age of 74. According to a report from the Morris County Medical Examiner, Frehley died from blunt-trauma injuries to the head resulting from a fall. His death was officially ruled an accident.
Medical details revealed that a CT scan showed multiple contusions, skull fractures to the back of his head, hemorrhages, and a subdural hematoma. The report also indicated that the musician had suffered a stroke, with additional bruising found on his abdomen, thigh, and hip. A separate toxicology report from the time of his death remains pending.
Born Paul Daniel Frehley, the musician passed away peacefully in Morristown, New Jersey, surrounded by his family. He spent nearly two weeks on life support after suffering a second fall at his home that caused a brain bleed, ultimately leading his family to make the difficult decision to remove him from the ventilator.
His family released a heartbreaking statement at the time of his passing:
“We are completely devastated and heartbroken. In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth. We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others. The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace’s memory will continue to live on forever!”
Longtime manager John Ostrosky previously confirmed to the New York Post that the rock icon was laid to rest at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx on October 22, following a private memorial service at the Sinatra Memorial Home in Yonkers, New York.
Frehley co-founded Kiss in 1973 alongside frontman Paul Stanley, bassist Gene Simmons, and drummer Peter Criss. He performed on the band’s first nine studio albums and returned for the 1998 reunion record, Psycho Circus, before departing again in 2002 after their initial farewell tour. Following his exit, guitarist Tommy Thayer assumed the signature Spaceman persona. Frehley was officially inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with the original Kiss lineup in 2014.
