On Dec. 11 in an entertainment memorabilia auction at Bonhams, New Bond Street in London, expert appraisers were astonished as a 1967 Gibson Flying V guitar used extensively by Judas Priest's K.K. Downing more than octupled their highest estimates to sell for more than $189,000. Founded in 1793, the house designated the sale as "a world record result for a 'lead heavy metal guitar.'" A second K.K. Downing classic — a 1971 Gibson Flying V Medallion — more than quintupled the experts' highest estimates to sell for more than $102,000.
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Having helped to define and shape the power of heavy metal through the '70s and '80s, Judas Priest received their first GRAMMY nomination for their 1990 album Painkiller, at the 33rd GRAMMY Awards in the Best Metal Performance category. Several nominations later, the band scored their sole career win at the 52nd GRAMMY Awards in the same category for the song "Dissident Aggressor."
Rolling Stone has more details on the auction and quoted Downing's autobiography that he is "eternally grateful" for the 90 percent of his time with Judas Priest that was good. "When we had the success, it was so cool," he said. Downing also auctioned an additional nine of his guitars on Dec. 11.
In 2010, Downing departed Judas Priest before their Epitaph World Tour, named after the track on their Sad Wings Of Destiny album. Bonham's record-setting Gibson was used to record that album.
