A 1929 Bentley 4½-liter sports saloon owned by the same family since 1935 and recently unearthed after 30 years in a barn sold at Bonhams’ Beaulieu International Autojumble auction for $1.059 million.
“The vendor only recently found the car gathering dust in his grandfather’s garage, and expected it to be valued at a fraction of the amount we’ve achieved at today’s auction,” Rob Hubbard, Bonhams motoring specialist was quoted in a post-auction news release.
“It was an incredible discovery; the chassis, engine, axle, gearbox, steering box numbers are all present and correct, the interior is completely original in wonderful green leather. For a car that’s over 80 years old, it’s truly astounding.”
The sales price was more than double the car’s pre-auction estimate.
The consignor’s grandfather bought the Mulliner-bodied car in 1935 and is known to have used it for family holidays throughout the 1930s and 1940s. The car even was used to tow a caravan (camper), and was still fitted with its original tow ball at the auction.
Other top sales at the auction were $334,825 for a 1927 Voisin C12 tourer and $249,558 for a 1969 Aston Martin DB6 “project” car.
Totals sales for the auction held at Britain’s National Motor Museum were $4.74 million.
