Grunge history up for grabs: Melvins tour van with Kurt Cobain artwork on eBay

A big piece of Seattle Grunge history is up for grabs on Ebay. Local legends The Melvins are auctioning off their original touring rig the “Melvan”, adorned with original artwork by Kurt Cobain.

The van is as iconic as the band. There’s a famous KISS Mural on the side “hand drawn by Kurt Cobain using sharpie markers shoplifted from the Thriftway grocery store in Montesano Washington (former employer of Melvins frontman Buzz Osbourne). It’s been featured in a number of documentaries, music videos and books about Cobain, the Melvins and the explosion of Grunge.

The listing says “Kurt himself was often times known to drive this van to local shows,” around Western Washington and beyond before both bands broke big.

The high bid for the 1972 Dodge Sportsman Royal Van as of Monday morning was $6100, but the band is requiring a $10,000 deposit for what’s being billed as a one-of-a-kind piece of original art. The winner has to pick it up in Montesano, but no word from Buzz whether it still runs.