Irsay's Vast Collection of Sports, Music, and Film Memorabilia Heads to Auction

Christie's to auction off the late Indianapolis Colts owner's eclectic trove of pop culture artifacts.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The personal collection of the late Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, featuring a wide range of sports, music, film, and literary memorabilia, will be auctioned off by Christie's in New York City from March 12-14. The collection includes items like a bat linked to Jackie Robinson, baseballs signed by Babe Ruth, the volleyball from the film Cast Away, drums played by Ringo Starr, boxing gloves and a robe worn by Muhammad Ali, and guitars used by rock legends like David Gilmour and Kurt Cobain.

Why it matters

Irsay's collection represents a unique cross-section of 20th century American pop culture history, with artifacts tied to some of the most iconic figures and moments in sports, music, film, and literature. The auction provides a rare opportunity for collectors and fans to own a piece of this cultural legacy.

The details

The auction will feature over 1,000 items from Irsay's collection, which he amassed over decades. Highlights include a Fender Stratocaster used by Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, a Fender Mustang played by Nirvana's Kurt Cobain in the 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' music video, boxing gloves and a robe worn by Muhammad Ali, and the volleyball known as 'Wilson' from the film Cast Away starring Tom Hanks. Christie's has opened a free exhibition at its Rockefeller Center galleries in New York City to showcase dozens of the items before the auction.

  • The auction will take place March 12-14, 2026.
  • The free exhibition at Christie's Rockefeller Center galleries runs through March 12, 2026.

The players

Jim Irsay

The late owner of the Indianapolis Colts NFL team, who assembled an extensive collection of sports, music, film, and literary memorabilia over decades.

Christie's

The auction house hosting the sale of Irsay's collection, with online and in-person bidding taking place March 12-14, 2026.

Nathalie Ferneau

Head of Sale for the Jim Irsay Collection at Christie's in New York City.

Amelia Walker

Specialist Head of Private and Iconic Collections for Christie's.

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What they’re saying

“There's incredible pieces of music memorabilia, really important pieces of film, of literature, there's really a little bit of everything.”

— Nathalie Ferneau, Head of Sale for the Jim Irsay Collection at Christie's (ny1.com)

“Really everything in this collection is tied to a really important part of American culture, a really specific sports moment, music moment. I like to think of it as sort of the greatest hits of the last century in a way.”

— Nathalie Ferneau, Head of Sale for the Jim Irsay Collection at Christie's (ny1.com)

“It's a 1969 left-handed Mustang, quite hard for Kurt to get of hold of genuine, vintage left-handed instruments, and this was by all accounts a really treasured possession of his.”

— Amelia Walker, Specialist Head of Private and Iconic Collections for Christie's (ny1.com)

What’s next

The free exhibition at Christie's Rockefeller Center galleries will remain open through March 12, 2026, the day the auction begins.

The takeaway

Irsay's collection represents a unique and comprehensive snapshot of 20th century American pop culture, providing collectors and fans a rare opportunity to own a piece of this iconic legacy across sports, music, film, and literature.