Online auction leaves Lennon's car in the lock-up

Reg reader Mick Fleetwood not happy bunny

By Kieren McCarthy • Get more from this author

Posted in e-Business, 28th March 2001 16:47 GMT

Increase your knowledge of the latest threats to your busines

Mick Fleetwood's online auction site had a bit of a set-back yesterday at the Hard Rock Café in London when the 1970 Mercedes owned by John Lennon failed to reach the reserve price of £200,000. A John Lennon piano also came up short of the £1 million expected - fetching "just" £750,000.

The auction was run live on Mick's - you know, the tall bloke out of Fleetwood Mac - online auction site that he's set up with auction expert Ted Owen. It's called FleetwoodOwen.com.

Whether it was the recession, dotcom bubbles or simply a drop in John Lennon mania, we don't know, but it is a step down from the success of the self-same event (same venue) in October, when another Lennon piano went for £1.45 million when it was expected to reach just £1 million.

Mick wasn't that disheartened though - over 80 per cent of the lots (over 100) reached or exceeded their "expected prices" - whether this means the reserve or not, we can't be sure. Plus we like Mick cause he's a Reg reader - if he wants to invite us to the next one, we may even do a piece on it.

As well as the custom-built Pullman 600 Mercedes, other goods up for auction included photos of the Beatles in Hamburg, some Stones pics, two signed Jim Morrison poems, an Elton John upright piano and a Marc Bolan contract. ®