September 2015 - European auction highlights
20 October, 2015
The unique Maserati Boomerang concept car was the undoubted star of Bonhams' inaugural sale at the Chantilly Arts & Elegance Concours d'Elegance on 5 September, selling for €3,335,000.
Other notable highlights included a 1938 Bugatti Type 57 Drophead Coupé with a pre-sale estimate of €1,400,000 – 1,700,000 which sold for €1,265,000 and a 1968 Maserati Mexico 4.7-Litre Coupe made €621,000 (estimate €550,000 – 750,000).
The Maserati on offer was no mere ‘standard Mexico’ but a bespoke Frua creation, the most attractive of the three one-offs. Restored to its original shade of light green paintwork, with original Bordeaux leather, the Mexico won the Best of Show award at the Maserati 100th Anniversary celebrations. Further highlights included the 1977 Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9, originally owned by the French singer and composer Claude François, which sold for €92,000 to a private European buyer, and a 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500K Cabriolet C which outstripped expectations, fetching €609,500 (estimate €400,000 – 500,000).
Bonhams' Frederiksen Collection Sale was their first auction in Denmark, generating over DKK 162 million (£16 million) with a 92% sale rate. Star performer was the 1930 Duesenberg Model J Disappearing Top Roadster, which sold for DKK 17,825,000 (£1,764,675), making it the most valuable car ever sold at auction in Denmark.
With 13 Rolls-Royces on offer, top honours fell to the 1914 40/50 Silver Ghost Skiff, at DKK 7,475,000 (£740,025). Other highlights included; a 1939 Lagonda LG6 Rapide which achieved new world-auction record at DKK 5,462,500 (£540,000); the 1914 Mercedes 28/95 Phaeton, sold to a German telephone bidder for DKK 9,372,500 (£927,877); and a 1937 Maybach SW-38 ‘Special Roadster’ made DKK 7,475,000 (£788,581).
Coys’ inaugural auction at the Frankfurt International Motor Show on 26 September saw a 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS Touring top the results, achieving €775,085 (estimate €500,000 – 700,000). A 1984 Aston Martin V8 Volante, one of only 173 examples and showing only 23,700 miles, sold for €95,000 (estimate €130,000 – 170,000) and a 1968 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman fetched €182,015 (estimate €180,000 – 250,000).