A black Fender Stratocaster smashed by Kurt Cobain during Nirvana's work on their breakthrough album, Nevermind, has sold for $595,900.

The guitar has been repaired but is no longer playable, Kody Frederick of Julien's Auctions said earlier this month. The auction house anticipated that the guitar would sell for around $60,000 at the event in front of a live audience at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City.

Julien's said in a statement that the final bid price was "astounding." The three-day auction also included memorabilia from the careers of Eddie Van Halen, Elvis Presley, Freddie Mercury, Bill Wyman and Janet Jackson.

The instrument's popularity arose from the fact that it has been signed by all three members of the Seattle grunge outfit in silver marker.

Cobain signed off as, "Kurdt Kobain," an alter-ego he adopted after an article written about the band had misspelled his name. From then on, he often used this moniker when signing off journal entries and artwork. It was thought he used "Kurdt" when he wasn't feeling like himself.

There is also an affectionate message inscribed on the guitar from Cobain, dedicated to his friend and musical collaborator, the late Mark Lanegan.

"You can see here the break that took place as he slammed down the guitar, where the neck here kind of connects, as well as down here on the bottom where he slammed the guitar down," Mr Frederick commented earlier in May, as reported by RTE.

"Kurt Cobain, when he was on stage, when he played, he was a machine. The man was angry, and you could feel that on stage. And you would feel that by the way he would treat his instruments," he continued. "This broken element, in a strange way, from this broken musician, that really defined this rough and tumble era of music."

Nirvana's biggest hits, many of which were written by Cobain included 'Come As You Are', 'Lithium' and the 1991 breakout 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'.

Throughout his life, Cobain struggled with mental health issues and substance abuse. He was also involved romantically with Courtney Love, who he married in 1992 and had a daughter with - Francis Bean Cobain. The icon took his own life in April 1994, leaving behind a profound legacy in the world of music.