March 2020 - UK auction highlights
14 April, 2020
Auction houses were forced to radically alter their sale formats in March as restrictions to combat the coronavirus pandemic become clearer. Brightwells and Historics were blessed with sales at the start of the month when it was still business as usual. Bonhams was less fortunate; the cancellation of the Goodwood Members’ Meeting reduced its auction to a sale by private treaty at the 11th hour. Top result went to the unique ex-Archie Scott Brown 1956 Lister Maserati which fetched £575,000 (estimate £500,000 – 800,000).
[ Bonhams Goodwood Members’ Meeting Sale – view results here ]
Brightwells found a new home for its star attraction at £84,000 (estimate £80,000 – 100,000), the 1988 Porsche 911 Turbo had covered 63,000 miles from new and was one of just two right-hand drive examples built to celebrate the model’s 25th Anniversary.
Notable sales also included a 1969 Ford Escort Twin Cam – restored over a three year period – making £47,040 (estimate £48,000 – 52,000); a ‘no reserve’ 1968 Aston Martin DBS Vantage in need of restoration, which had remained with the vendor since 1975, was sold for £44,240 (estimate £35,000 – 45,000); and a 2012 Land Rover Defender 90 Pick-up with delivery miles drew a mid-estimate £28,560.
Brightwells reported a sale total of £1.5 million and a 78% sell-through rate.
[ Brightwells March Sale – view auction results here ]
A meticulously restored 1970 Aston Martin DB6 headed the success at Historics’ Ascot sale on 7 March, selling for £310,000 (estimate £279,000 – 320,000) – helping towards a £4 million sale total and a sell-through rate of 70%.
The top five was rounded off with a well-presented 1969 Lamborghini Islero S at £296,800 (estimate £270,000 – 285,000); a one-owner 9,100-mile 2012 Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe smashed its £115,000 – 130,000 estimate, bringing £190,400, as did a recently restored 1974 Jaguar E-Type Series III Roadster, hammered away for £129,950 (estimate £85,000 – 100,000); while a right-hand drive 1960 Facel Vega HK500 with a manual gearbox raised £114,240 (estimate £115,000 – 128,000).
[ Historics Ascot Sale – view auction results here ]
With the closure of Duxford’s Imperial War Museum in the run-up to H&H’s planned auction, the hastily reconfigured ‘closed’ event on 18 March did well to generate a 60% sell-through rate and total sales of £2.3 million. Pre-war machinery achieved the highest prices, led by the ex-Prince Bernhard 1938 Lagonda LG6 Drophead Coupe at £204,750 (estimate £200,000 – 250,000). A 1926 Bentley 3 Litre Speed Model Tourer once owned by Johnny Hindmarsh – the winner of the 1935 Le Mans 24 hours – made a mid-estimate £174,375, and a 1934 Delage D6-11 which was given Saoutchik inspired cabriolet bodywork in the late 1980s brought £69,188 (estimate £40,000 – 50,000).
[ H&H Imperial War Museum Sale – view auction results here ]
Classic Car Auctions ran a 16-day timed online auction in place of the sale it was scheduled to hold at the NEC’s cancelled Classic Car & Restoration Show. A US-delivered left-hand drive 1962 Porsche 356 B T6 Super took the overall honours with an estimate-busting £62,640 (estimate £45,000 – 50,000).
Among the Jaguars changing hands; a 1955 XK 140 Fixed Head Coupe, imported into the UK from Malaysia in 1960, raised a mid-estimate £42,660, and a 1966 E-Type Series I 4.2 2+2 Coupe which had been in single-family ownership for the past 48 years went for £41,580 (estimate £35,000 – 40,000).
Elsewhere, highlights included a recently serviced, left-hand drive, Euro-spec 1981 Ferrari 308 GTS with 125,234km on the clock taking £33,480 (estimate £32,000 – 37,000); a 1986 Audi Quattro in storage since 2002 – its last MOT in August 2001 showing 42,493 miles – sold for £26,190 (estimate £15,000 – 20,000); and a left-hand drive 2001 Renault Clio V6 with 71,200km generated £21,870 (estimate £18,000 – 22,000).
The sale also featured a stalled restoration project 1973 Aston Martin V8 at £51,840 (estimate £45,000 – 55,000), and a 1976 Alfa Romeo Montreal in need of attention after being laid up in the mid ‘90s which fetched £32,940 (estimate £20,000 – 25,000).
Despite the challenging circumstances leaving CCA little time to set up a platform for its first ever timed auction, the sale generated a respectable £1.7 million and a 61% sell-through rate.
[ Classic Car Auctions March Sale – view auction results here ]
Classic car auction results and prices for: Lister | Porsche | Ford | Aston Martin | Land Rover | Lamborghini | Rolls-Royce | Jaguar | Facel Vega | Lagonda | Bentley | Delage | Ferrari | Audi | Renault | Alfa Romeo
From leading auction houses: Bonhams | Brightwells | Historics | H&H Classics | Classic Car Auctions
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