Free Led Zeppelin Guitar Up for Auction, Estimated Value of £50,000

In 1966, the New Musical Express magazine organised a competition that would change the course of rock history. The challenge for the entrants was to match six iconic guitars with the famous guitarists who owned them. Little did they know, one of the prizes would become a legendary piece of rock memorabilia.

Fast forward to 1972, and Jimmy Page, the founder of British rock band Led Zeppelin, bought a 1957 Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120 electric guitar in Nashville, USA, for just £200. This guitar would later become the prize for the New Musical Express competition in 1966.

Page, a legendary guitarist and rock star, is known for his unique playing style and iconic solos. His guitars attract huge interest from collectors, investors, and fans of Led Zeppelin. The band, named by Rolling Stone magazine as "the biggest band of the seventies", disbanded in 1980 following the death of drummer John Bonham.

The competition winner was Charles Reid from Hornsey, north London. After Page's death, the guitar was acquired by a private collector. However, in September 1990, Charles Reid sold the guitar to Phil O'Donoghue from Chessington, Surrey, for £2,000. The guitar remained with Mr. O'Donoghue until his death earlier this year.

Now, Mr. O'Donoghue's family is putting the guitar up for auction. The auction will take place at Gardiner Houlgate in Corsham, Wiltshire, on September 9. The guitar will be auctioned alongside original copies of New Musical Express (NME) receipts and correspondence.

According to auctioneer Luke Hobbs, what's wonderful about this guitar is that they have copies of the New Musical Express showing the competition and a photo of Page giving the guitar to the winner, Charles Reid. Charles Reid himself stated that the guitar is the kind of instrument every guitar player dreams of owning but can never really afford.

The 1957 Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120 guitar, given away by Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page as a competition prize, is expected to sell for £50,000. This auction presents a unique opportunity for collectors and fans to own a piece of rock history.