INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Colts owner and CEO Jim Irsay has added an iconic piece of music history to his collection.
On Saturday, July 17, the Jim Irsay Collection purchased a 1972 Steinway Model D Grand Piano that was owned by Sir Elton John and played by him and others at more than 1,000 concerts worldwide from 1974 to 1993.
According to ESPN, Irsay purchased the piano for $915,000 during an auction conducted by Heritage Auctions on Saturday in Dallas.
Freddie Mercury and Paul McCartney also played the piano Irsay bought.
Irsay has been collecting historic and culturally-significant artifacts for decades and regularly loans items from the collection to museums, nonprofits and other organizations for display and research.
“When I started this collection, my goal was to preserve important pieces of American and world history so we could protect them and share them with future generations," Irsay said in a news release. “Whether an instrument, an original manuscript or another piece of Americana, these items continue to be a source of inspiration and joy for so many. I am only a steward, so I want to make sure people from all walks of life are able to experience and learn from this array of artifacts."
Click here to see photos of other items in Irsay's collection, which includes handwritten lyrics by Bob Dylan, Richard Nixon's resignation letter, a bat used by Jackie Robinson in 1953 and much more.
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