On our side of the pond last weekend, shoppers were looking for Black Friday and Cyber Monday bargains. But in London, classic car bidders were paying record high prices for several vehicles at Bonhams’ second annual Bond Street sale.
“We had a full auction room with bids also coming in from across the world,” said Bonhams’ motoring director James Knight. “In only its second year, the auction achieved over 80 percent sold, with a diverse selection that included veteran motor cars, 1980s supercars, Le Mans entrants, iconic motorcycles and even a 1930s aeroplane. It was an eclectic sale, but one full of interesting and important consignments.”
Overall, the auction generated $19.96 million in business with top-sale honors going to a 1969-70 Porsche 908.21 “Flunder” Langheck Group 6 sports-racing prototype that sold for $3,430,352 (all prices include buyer’s premium).
Bonhams claimed auction-price records for vehicles that included a 1934 Talbot AV105 Alpine Racer, a 2000 Aston Martin Vantage Le Mans V600 coupe and a 1929 Brough Superior 986cc SS100 Alpine Grand Sports motorcycle.
The 1934 Alpine Cup-winning Talbot sold for $2,164,630, while the Aston sold for $547,318 and the historic motorcycle for $494,579.
Other noteworthy sales:
- $2,859,019 for a 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB “long-nose alloy” Berlinetta.
- $2,375,584 for a 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO Berlinetta.
- $1,057,123 for a 1955 Austin-Healey 100S sports-racer.
- $1,057,123 for a 1963 Aston Martin 4.7-liter DB4 Vantage Series V (to DB4 GT specification.
- $793,430 for a 1988 Porsche 959 “Komfort” coupe.
The airplane Knight mentioned was the final offering among the 31 lots, a 1939 Miles M14A Hawk Trainer III in need of a complete restoration. The plane, one of those used by the Royal Air Force for training pilots before they graduated into Hurricane and Spitfire fighters, sold for $72,201.
Bonhams concludes its 2014 classic car auction schedule with “The Transportation History Sale” of automobilia December 4 in New York City, and a sale of cars and automobilia December 7 at Oxford.