Mecum Auctions, Spring Classic, Indianapolis, Indiana, May 17-20, 2017
Traditionally Mecum Auctions’ headline auction, the Spring Classic has been overtaken by the commercial paroxysm of Kissimmee in January. The Spring Classic this year offered 1,650 cars, well below the 2,663 at Kissimmee (both adjusted for reruns) and with a total of $54 million changing hands, well below Kissimmee’s $84.9 million. The Spring Classic’s $28,600 […]
Auctions America Auburn Spring, May 11-13, 2017
Auburn Spring is a curious phenomenon, growing out of a desire (need?) to utilize the Auburn Auction Park that grew up from the annual Auburn auction over Labor Day weekend. Auburn Spring has never been big, but it’s always been an opportunity to showcase a collection or disposition or two. This year saw two days […]
Worldwide Auctioneers, Dallas (Arlington), Texas, April 21-22, 2017
Worldwide marked its move from the Houston area (Montgomery) to the Dallas area (Arlington) this year by adding a day to its calendar. The Monical collection of no reserve cars filled the added day. It was a challenge for Worldwide which faced established competition in the market from Leake’s three-day sale in downtown Dallas at […]
Leake Auction, Dallas, Texas, April 21-23, 2017
As with many auctions these days, Leake had a powerful contingent of late model cars. 99 of the 430 lots on offer were model year 2001 or later, 23% of the entire offering. The late model vehicles were led, again in common with many recent auctions, by the sale’s top lot, 2014 LaFerrari s/n …205216, […]
The Branson Auction Spring 2017, April 21-22, 2017
The 2017 Spring Branson auction was missing a key element: Mark Trimble. Mark died February 11, probably while planning on doing aerobatics in the air over the Ozarks. He was dedicated to Branson, but more than that to living a good, fulsome, life. He brought the Branson Collector Car Auction to life nearly 40 […]
Mecum Auctions, NRG Arena, Houston, Texas, April 6-8, 2017
Since arriving in Houston in 2012 Mecum has made a splash, then settled down into a consistent $20 million sale. The “splash” came in 2014 when a single Ford GT40 s/n GT/104, brought $7 million hammer, 23% of that year’s total auction handle all by itself. Over the years the consignment has steadily declined until […]
Auctions America, Ft. Lauderdale, March 31-April 2, 2017
It’s difficult to find a collection of cars at auction backed up by a team more enthusiastic than Donnie Gould has at Auctions America. Two weeks after their partners at RM Sotheby’s hit a home run at Amelia Island, Auctions America did the same in Ft. Lauderdale. The cars were mainstream but that didn’t mean […]
Motostalgia Auctions, Amelia Island, March 11, 2017
Motostalgia Auctions bills itself as the official auction company for the SVRA Amelia Island Vintage Gran Prix, an event that took place March 16-19, a week after the auction, SVRA’s third event of a busy winter season. Motostalgia’s results for 2017 were comparable with last year but actually reflected a better sale when it is […]
Artcurial Motorcars, Rétromobile, Paris, February 10, 2017
On the numbers Artcurial’s $34.7 million 2017 sale looks light, but that isn’t taking into account the $35 million sale of the Ferrari 335 Sport last year which had no comparable blockbuster in 2017. Then there was the $19.1 million sale of the Baillon Collection’s Ferrari 250 GT SWB Cal Spyder two years ago. Without […]
Bonhams, Le Grand Palais, Paris, February 9, 2017
In locating a collector car auction the auction companies’ inducement is to put an auction in a place where car collectors want to gather. That involves finding venues where there are attractions that appeal to collectors, where like-minded souls want to congregate with friends, where the accommodations and settings are friendly, with good food and […]