The return of Carlisle Auctions to the Spring Carlisle Swap Meet and Car Corral reached a $3.2 million result for its April 24-25 collector-car auction, with 72.5 percent of the 300 cars sold on the block.
Held during a sparkling spring weekend that provided a welcomed break after an unusually hard Pennsylvania winter, the Carlisle Auctions sale was an active addition to the automotive country fair held every spring at the Carlisle Fairgrounds since 1977. The Fall Carlisle swap meet and car corral celebrates its 40th anniversary in October.
More than 100,000 people turned out for Spring Carlisle, a four-day spectacular that started up April 22. The 150-acre fairground was filled to capacity with a busy automotive swap meet of parts, collector’s items and memorabilia (the 8,100 vendors spaces were sold out), and a sweeping car corral filled with hundreds of vehicles for sale ranging from antiques and classics to street rods and exotics.
The Carlisle Auctions sale was the third held since the auction was reorganized in November 2013, with two held earlier in Zephyrhills, Florida. The home-grown collector-car auction company had conducted sales during Carlisle events until 2010, after which Auctions America by RM held sales for three years. Carlisle Auctions plans four annual sales, in spring and fall at Carlisle and two in Florida.
A special selling-friendly feature of Carlisle Auction is a “Free Unless Sold” policy that takes some of the pressure off consigners whose vehicle don’t meet reserve prices.
“We’re not just bringing back the logo and the brand, we’re introducing some cool new features, such as Free Until Sold,” said Michael Garland, a spokesman for Carlisle Events.
The Spring Carlisle auction was a low-key affair with quite a few of the cars selling in the four-figure and low five-figure range. Corvettes were top sellers, with a ’65 convertible gaining the highest sale of the auction at $77,000 (plus buyer’s fee). A 1962 Pontiac Catalina went for $71,000, a 1965 Ford Mustang sold at $60,000 and a pair of ’57 Chevy Bel Airs hit $61,000 and $60,000.
The 40th annual Fall Carlisle swap meet, car corral and Carlisle Auctions sale happens October 1-5.
It is a great money for Carlisle auction and i think people got the cars here which they want.