The Battle of the Les Paul: The Dispute Over Keith Richards' Iconic Guitar at the Met Museum
An iconic 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar that once belonged to Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones is at the center of a dispute between the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art and former Stones guitarist Mick Taylor. The Met recently received a significant donation of over 500 guitars from influential musicians, including Mississippi John Hurt and Leo Fender, positioning the museum as a hub for American guitar appreciation and study.
Representatives for Mick Taylor have expressed surprise that the 1959 Les Paul, known for its sunburst finish and mahogany body, is part of the Met's collection. They claim that Taylor had owned and played the guitar extensively before it went missing. However, the Met's research indicates that the guitar was owned by Adrian Miller in 1971 and later sold to Cosmo Verrico of the rock band Heavy Metal Kids.
Keith Richards famously used the 1959 Les Paul during The Rolling Stones' debut on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, solidifying the band's presence in the US. Mick Taylor reportedly acquired the guitar from the Stones' road manager Ian Stewart in 1971 and played it during his five-year tenure with the band. Some sources suggest that the guitar was among the instruments stolen during a robbery at Villa Nellcôte in 1971.
The 1959 Les Paul was unsuccessfully auctioned at Christie's in 2004 before being purchased by Peter Svensson in 2006 and later by Dirk Ziff in 2016. The guitar was featured in the Met's 2019 exhibition, Play It Loud, on loan from Ziff. Mick Taylor's representatives have requested access to the guitar to verify its provenance, but the Met has not received any communication from them.
The Met Museum plans to establish a permanent gallery dedicated to American guitars in 2027, showcasing some of the instruments from the recent donation. Mick Taylor, who left The Rolling Stones in 1974, has maintained a low profile since then. In a 2009 interview, he revealed concerns about the band's lifestyle exacerbating his heroin addiction.
Efforts to resolve the dispute over the 1959 Les Paul guitar continue, with Mick Taylor's camp seeking confirmation of its ownership history. The Met Museum remains committed to showcasing the guitar and other donated instruments in its upcoming American guitar gallery.