An acoustic guitar once owned by John Lennon has been sold for $2.4 million.
The J-160E Gibson was sold Saturday by Julien's Auctions in Los Angeles to an undisclosed buyer.
The auction house described the instrument as "the most historically important guitar associated with The Beatles."
Julien's said the guitar had been lost for over 50 years and "represents a rare and significant guitar to John Lennon's history." The auction house said the guitar went missing after The Beatles Finsbury Park Christmas show in December 1963.
Beatles musicians Lennon and George Harrison each purchased one of the Gibsons in 1962 from Rushworth's Music House in Liverpool. The two guitars, which were flown from America to England after being "specially ordered" were identical except for their serial numbers. The auction house said Lennon used the guitar on many of the songs the Fab Four recorded in 1962 and 1963.
Julien's said Lennon strummed the guitar while writing songs She Loves You, I Want to Hold Your Hand and Please Please, Me with bandmate Paul McCartney.
The guitar's whereabouts were unknown for more than five decades until a California man realized last year that a guitar in his possession could be Lennon's long-lost Gibson, which Julien's says "has never been modified in any way."
A percentage of the proceeds from the sale will go to Spirit Foundations, Inc., a non-profit organization founded by Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono.
Another piece of Beatles' memorabilia was also sold at Julien's Saturday. A drumhead used by Ringo Starr on the Beatles' historic television appearances in 1964 on America's Ed Sullivan Show sold for $2.1 million.
