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This pioneer of electronic music with the group the pioneering act redefined mainstream melodies and influenced artists including Bowie, New Order, Coldplay, and Run-DMC.

Presently, the electronic equipment and musical instruments employed by Schneider for producing the group's famous compositions in the 1970s and 1980s could fetch a high six-figure sum when they are sold in a November auction.

Exclusive Preview of Final Personal Work

Recordings related to his own venture that Schneider was working on prior to his passing due to cancer in his seventies in 2020 is available initially via footage promoting the sale.

Extensive Collection of His Items

Together with his suitcase synthesiser, his flute and his vocoders – that he employed creating mechanical-sounding vocals – enthusiasts can try to purchase nearly 500 items from his estate at the auction.

This encompasses the assortment over a hundred brass and woodwind instruments, several snapshots, eyewear, the ID used on tour until 1978 plus his custom van, given a gray finish.

His cycling gear, used by him for the Tour de France clip and shown on the cover art, is also for sale on 19 November.

Sale Information

The approximate sum of the sale falls between $450K and $650K.

They were innovators – they were one of the first bands with electronic gear crafting compositions that no one had ever heard of before.

Fellow musicians viewed their songs “mind-blowing”. It revealed this new pathway in music that Kraftwerk created. This motivated a lot of bands to move in the direction electronic synth sounds.

Highlighted Items

• One voice modulator that is likely the one Kraftwerk used on their albums The Man Machine in 1978 plus later releases could fetch a high estimate.
• A suitcase synthesizer likely utilized for Autobahn their iconic release has an estimate of $15K–$20K.
• The flute, a classic design that Schneider used on stage with the synthesiser until 1974, is valued at $8,000 to $10,000.

Distinctive Objects

Among the lowest-priced items, a collection of about 90 Polaroid photographs photographed by him of his woodwind and brass instruments is available for $100 to $200.

More unusual pieces, including a transparent, bright yellow acrylic guitar and a “very unique” insect replica, which was mounted at his studio, have estimates of $200–$400.

His framed green-tinted shades plus snapshots showing him with these could sell for under $500.

Official Message

His view was that instruments should be used and enjoyed by others – not sitting idle or gathering dust in storage. His desire was his equipment to find their way to people who would truly value them: performers, hobbyists and admirers by audio creativity.

Lasting Influence

Recalling their contribution, a well-known drummer commented: “From the early days, we were fans. Autobahn was an album that made us all take notice: what’s this?. They produced unique material … entirely original – they were consciously rejecting the past.”