Russian-Armenian Musician Bought Eric Clapton’s Guitar

Eric Clapton raised $2.2 million US at a Bonhams auction in New York yesterday, as buyers competed for his guitars, amplifiers and other memorabilia, Bloomberg reports.

The tally for the sale, benefiting the UK musician’s Crossroads Center Antigua for drug and alcohol rehabilitation, was almost four times its presale total of $400,000 to $600,000.

One of the top bidders was Russian collector of Armenian descent Vladimir Avetisyan. Sitting in the middle of a packed room, he bought lot after lot, from a $1,098 Crossroads gift bag to the day’s priciest item, a 1948 Gibson L-5P guitar that fetched $82,960. Prices include the buyer’s premium.

“This is the main hobby of my life,” said Avetisyan, who plays guitar and is a vocalist for a Moscow-based Clapton tribute band called D-Black, which has a website claptomania.com. “I love blues.”