Bonhams, Audrain Concours Auction, October 1, 2021
Benefactor Nick Schorsch, CEO Donald Osborne and Museum Executive Director David DeMuzio, along with a pantheon of employees and volunteers spared no effort in bringing a world class concours d’elegance to Aquidneck Island and Newport, Rhode Island. After an auspicious debut in 2019 and an involuntary hiatus in 2020 the 2021 Audrain Motor Week and […]
RM Sotheby’s, St. Moritz, September 17, 2021
In conjunction with the Internationale St. Moritzer Automobilwochen “Boutique” sales have become a thing at RM Sotheby’s. RM Sotheby’s calendar of single-owner or topical auctions added another venue on September 17 with the 24-lot sale at the Kempinski Hotel in the fabled Swiss mountain resort of St. Moritz. The venue’s preferred title is “Grand Hotel […]
Mecum Auctions, Dallas, September 9-11, 2021
Mecum Auctions’ Dallas appearance fluctuates between September and October, probably depending more upon the availability of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center than any other reason. This year’s thousand-car consignment is a return to track for this sale which has had over a thousand cars in all but two years (2017 and, for obvious reasons, […]
RM Sotheby’s, Portola Plaza, Monterey, August 12-14, 2021
RM Sotheby’s returned to their Monterey form in 2021, putting together a smaller consignment that overflowed with quality vehicles. RM fluctuates between two and three day auctions with the third day usually being a single collection or a themed consignment as in 2019 when the Thursday sale was all Aston Martin. This year the Thursday […]
Mecum Auctions, Del Monte Golf Course, August 12-14, 2021
Mecum came off a lowball year in 2019 to score its highest sale total in the Monterey sale’s thirteen year history as well as the highest sell-through rate at 77%, 15 points higher that the best-ever performance in 2012. The seven-figure lots were equally impressive with sixteen lots bid to a million dollars or more […]
Gooding & Company, Pebble Beach, August 13-14, 2021
Gooding & Company came back strongly after the “Geared Online” auction they presented in lieu of their usual Pebble Beach auction in 2020. This was in many ways a typical Gooding auction with many transactions taking place at eye-popping prices and their McLaren F1 capturing the week’s top sale. Even million dollar lots did well. […]
Bonhams, Quail Lodge, August 13, 2021 – A study in contrast
Bonhams 2021 Quail Lodge auction was an unmitigated success. It is a sharp contrast with the online only 2020 auction and the used car lot auction they held here in 2019. The enhanced emphasis on quality consignments instead of number of “units” that characterized 2019 is apparent in the total changing hands, the average and […]
The 2020/2021 Monterey Auctions
The 2021 Monterey auctions don’t stand alone and must be considered first with respect to the canceled 2020 Monterey Car Week and second in comparison with the notably weak 2019 auctions. With respect to 2020, there was a restrained but appreciative attitude among the auction companies, bidders and onlookers. It was a joy to be […]
Mecum Auctions, Orlando Summer Special, July 28-31, 2021
Mecum Auctions never misses an opportunity. Having made a monster success of the auction at Kissimmee, Florida in January (the Anti-Scottsdale) they seized an opportunity to put on another auction in Orlando in August. Central Florida in August, however, is brutally hot and humid. Mecum’s solution was to secure the air conditioned Orlando Convention Center […]
Bonhams, Goodwood Festival of Speed, July 9, 2021
The only problem with doing this auction remotely is that it invites reviewing hours of professional video of the cars in the Festival of Speed, not in the Bonhams auction. A cagey conclusion: The Goodwood Festival of Speed in July or the Goodwood Revival in September are events no one who loves competition cars should […]