The auction of 25 cars — including Donald Healey’s own car and his Rolex watch — as well as vehicle registration No. R6 generated $13.27 million in sales Sunday at Bonhams’ Bond Street Motor Car Sale at the company’s headquarters in London.
Healey’s personal 1953 Austin-Healey 100/‘100S’ coupe, sold for $968,780 and his 9ct gold Rolex Striped Prince wristwatch brought another $38,303 at the auction. Both were part of the Arthur Carter Collection of Austin Healeys.
The auction also featured the first half of the sale of the Gordon Willey Collection; the other portion of Willey’s collection is on the docket for Bonhams’ final sale of the year, scheduled for Thursday at the RAF Hendon Museum.
At the Bond Street sale, the Willey Collection experienced a 100 percent sell-through, including a 1964 Aston Martin DB5 originally owned by Johnnie Walker heir and racer Rob Walker for $782,261, a 1929 Bentley 4 1/2-litre tourer for more than $1.01 million, and a 1938 Frazer Nash-BMW 328 roadster for $934,868.
Frazer Nash did very well at the sale. In addition to the 328 with British-produced bodywork, a 1955 Frazer Nash Le Mans coupe sold for $510,960 and a 1932 Frazer Nash TT replica with bodywork by Compton brought $494,003.
Other highlights included:
- A 1937 Lagonda 4 1/2-litre LG435 Rapide tourer that sold for nearly $1.19 million;
- A 1959 Austin-Healey 3000 MK1 works rally/Modsports coupe that brought $290,528;
- A 2005 Ferrari 575 Superamerica convertible that went for $926,389;
- A record $646,610 auction-price for a 1960 Jaguar XK150 drophead coupe;
- A 1958-style Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa sports-racer based on a 250 GT “Ellena” coupe chassis for $799,217;
- A 1974 Aston Martin Lagonda Series 1 7.0-liter saloon for $646,610;
- The first right-hand-drive 1962 AC Cobra roadster for $561,829;
- A 1934 Invita 4 1/2-liter S-type low-chassis tourer with Carbodies coachwork for $850,086.
Additionally, the “R6” vehicle registration number, dating to 1903 and held by one family since the 1950s, sold for $248,137.
