Around the houses, August 2011

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Around the houses

NEWS FROM THE MAIN AUCTION HOUSES AROUND THE WORLD

RM AUCTIONS —

“Over £20.2 million achieved in two hours at RM’s debut sale at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este,” read the announcement from the Canadian auction house. Not hard to conclude that RM’s sale on May 21 was a successful one.

Top sellers included (above) a 1955 Ferrari 375MM Berlinetta (£2.95m) and a 1938 TalbotLago T150-C SS Teardrop Coupe that went for £2.73m. Concept cars from the Bertone SpA collection also sold well, achieving £2.73m as a group. Highlights were two Lamborghinis: 1967 Marzal (£1.34m) and 1974 Bravo (£516,970).

It wouldn’t be an RM auction if a world record wasn’t broken and sure enough two were: a 1964 Alfa Romeo TZ Coupe and a 1957 BMW 507 that sold for a whopping £593,625 and £640,235 respectively.

There will be a full review of RM’s Salon Prive sale on June 23 in next month’s issue.

SILITERSTONE AUCTIONS —

The debut sale for Silverstone Auctions on June 11 during the MotoGP weekend was considered a huge success. When Motor Sport closed for press the auction house was still doing deals on lots, but the Ducati 1198 that Valentino Rossi rode at Silverstone’s ‘Wing’ building launch in May sold for over £18,000. The seven-time World Champion had signed the tank and all proceeds went to the Riders for Health charity. Silverstone Auctions has also confirmed more lots for its July 23 sale. As well as James Hunt’s

Hesketh 308/2, mentioned last month, they will sell the 1976 World Champion’s Austin A35 van. There is also a 1958 AC Ace-Bristol crossing the block. ’50 FPF’ was campaigned in period and is expected to fetch £180-220,000.

For Stirling Moss fans around the world, Silverstone Auctions is selling ‘The Boy’s’ 2000 Piaggio ET4 Vespa with an eye-watering estimate of £6-8000. We know of one of the same vintage valued at £150…

BONHAMS —

As this issue goes on sale, Bonhams is due to hold its annual Goodwood Festival of Speed auction. It had lined up several interesting competition cars for July 1 as well as some special road-going machinery. The ex-Jack Perkins 1925 Bugatti Type 35B (below) is expected to fetch £400-500,000, while Gerry Marshall’s 1971 Vauxhall Firenza ‘Old Nail’ is surprisingly estimated at only £30-40,000. Other competition cars include the ex-Bill Summers MG Magnette K-Type supercharged monoposto (£100-120,000), a 1926 Bugatti T37 (£120-160,000), and the ex-Spike Anderson

Datsun 240Z ‘Super Samuri’ coupe (£50-70,000). As to road cars there is a stunning 1989 Ferrari F40 (£320-350,000), the ex-Innes Ireland 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 DHC (£500-700,000) and a very low mileage Ford R5200 (£70-100,000).

ARTCURIAL

A 1968 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Berlinetta which found a new owner for £655,330, and a 1935 Hispano-Suiza K6 that sold for £374,596 were two of the headline lots at Artcurial’s auction on June 20. Other cars of note included a 1961 Lancia Flaminia Sport racer (£97,914) and a 1934 Bugatti Type 57 (£258,410).

H8c1-1 SALES LTD —

On June 8 H&H sold a variety of classic cars that included a fast-road 1966 Austin-Healey 3000 MkIII (£52,000), a 1947 HRG 1500 (£49,500) and a 1923 Bentley 3-litre TT Model Tourer (£146,300). The company’s next sale will be at its Pavilion Gardens site on July 20.

MECUM —

From May 17-22 Mecum held its Spring Classic Auction and sold a 1971 Foyt Coyote for £77,180. Raced in the 1971 and ’72 Indianapolis 500s, it came home sixth with Donnie Allison behind the wheel and then 11th with George Snider at the helm. The car had been completely rebuilt and restored to its Sheraton Thompson Special livery and has recently been raced.