A gong used in the 1970s by John Bonham failed to sell at auction yesterday, a spokesperson at the Los Angeles auction house of Bonhams and Butterfields confirmed today to LedZeppelinNews.com.
The gong’s estimated value of between $80,000 and $120,000 may have been too high, commented Margaret Barrett, an entertainment memorabilia specialist with Bonhams and Butterfields.
Barrett said the auction house would hang onto the historic percussion instrument for a short time to attract a buyer at a reduced price. If unsold after some time, she said it would return to Bonham’s family.
The gong was consigned jointly by Deborah Bonham, John’s sister, and their mother, Joan Bonham.