Waukesha acquires 16 new Les Paul artifacts
WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) -- The Waukesha County Museum has acquired 16 artifacts from Les Paul's estate at a recent auction in California.
They are for the museum's Les Paul exhibit set to open on his birthday June 9, 2013.
One of the items is a rare 1927 Gibson L5 acoustic guitar, which was a star item in the auction. It's one of the two L5s Paul purchased in Michigan with a band mate in 1933. Paul discusses the trip and purchasing this guitar extensively in his autobiography.
Twenty benefactors contributed to acquire the pieces.
The guitar will also be displayed this summer as part of the current "Behind the Vaults: Treasures from the County Museum Collection" exhibit.
Museum President Kirsten Lee Villegas says several of the new items are critical to telling Paul's story.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
