You can now buy six strands of Kurt Cobain’s hair

Yes, you did read that right: an American auction house are selling six strands of Kurt Cobain’s hair. As part of their Amazing Music Auction (Vol 1), Iconic Auctions have this bizarre and priceless artefact up for grabs until May 15. Among other stuff on offer are a guitar amp used by Kurt, one of Eddie Van Halen’s guitars signed by the late axeman, signed Beatles records, and the original studio recording tape for Prince’s Sign O’ The Times.

But, really, it’s the hair you want to know about, isn’t it? With a boast that they are the only items of their kind on the market, the strands are from Nirvana’s 1989 UK tour, during which Kurt had his hair cut by one Tessa Osbourne from Birmingham, who is pictured with Kurt and, crucially, scissors. Following Kurt’s passing in 1994, they were gifted to Seattle artist Nicole DePolo.

Read this: Kurt on Kurt: The Nirvana icon, in his own words

“Tessa had known Kurt back in England, and they had hung out during the Bleach Tour,” says Nicole. “Nirvana had broken in England first, and she must have had a sense that Kurt would become a musical force. When it came to Kurt, Tessa was kind of what like Astrid Kirchherr had been to the Beatles – the woman who had given him his iconic haircut. She even had a series of pictures to prove it: a snapshot of her and Kurt with long straggly hair while she held a pair of scissors high, then a shot of the scissors going through about 7” of hair. The rest was history.

"Kurt was known for his bleached blond pageboy, and she’d given him his first one back in October of 1989, just before his image began to circulate throughout the world.”

(Photo via Iconic Auctions)

Obviously, this won’t come cheap, and the minimum bid is currently $2,500. But if you’re feeling flush and just have to have this ultimate collector’s item, you can get in on the bidding here. Proceeds go to Live Nation's Crew Nation relief fund.

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