Lennon's limo fails to sell

Lennon's car sports a working radio and record player

A limousine and a piano belonging to Beatle John Lennon both failed to reach their reserve price at an auction of pop memorabilia in London.

The 1970 Mercedes Benz 600 Pullman car reached £190,000 at the sale at the Hard Rock Cafe on Tuesday evening, but was still £10,000 short of its reserve price.

The Steinway piano, which sat in Lennon's New York home, fetched £750,000 but was £250,000 short of the £1m expected.

Mary Wilson of The Supremes owned the car from 1975

A spokesman for the auctioneers, Fleetwood Owen, said both bids, which were made by telephone, would now be referred to the owners of the lots who would then decide whether to accept the prices.

But the auctioneers, which was founded by Fleetwood Mac star Mick Fleetwood, insisted it had been a successful night with over 80% of the 110 lots reaching or exceeding their expected prices.

There had been great excitement about the sale of the Mercedes limousine, which was bought by Lennon in 1970.

Charity sale

The vehicle was specially built for the Beatles star and had a black velvet interior and a record player installed.

He owned the car for three years until moving to the United States with his wife Yoko Ono, when he sold it to fellow band member George Harrison.

In 1975 it was sold to Mary Wilson of The Supremes, after which it began to fall into a state of disrepair.

In 1989 it was bought by its present owner who spent £200,000 restoring the vehicle.

Elton's piano

The proceeds from the sale of the piano had been due to go to breast cancer charities, but it could now be several days before it is decided whether the sale will go ahead.

Among the items which were sold at Tuesday's auction included an upright piano on which Sir Elton John played some of his first public performances.

Sir Elton played the piano as a schoolboy at a pub in Middlesex and it sold for £16,000.

Other items sold included two poems by The Doors lead singer Jim Morrison which reached a combined total of £4,900, and a drum kit belonging to 1970s rockers Led Zeppelin, which went for £10,500.