Overview

• Mick Taylor’s representatives claim the 1959 Les Paul sunburst, known as the “Keithburst,” was stolen from him during a 1971 burglary at Villa Nellcôte and demand its return.
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art maintains that Taylor never owned the guitar and points to a continuous, documented chain of custody dating back to 1971.
• The instrument entered the museum’s holdings in May after collector Dirk Ziff donated more than 500 guitars, including the sunburst Les Paul.
• Taylor’s team has formally requested access to inspect the guitar in order to verify its provenance and support his ownership claim.
• No legal action has been initiated, and the guitar remains on display as part of the Met’s musical instruments collection.