MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (September 27, 2009) – A 1940 Hawker Hurricane aircraft, which was to be the highlight of Bonhams and Goodman’s highly anticipated auction of Military and Aviation Collectibles, was passed in at auction this evening.
With the aircraft housed safely in a museum in New Zealand, the auction was conducted at the salerooms in Prahran, and was attended by a crowd of over 100 enthusiasts. A fully airworthy Hurricane had never been offered for auction before and there had been a huge amount of interest leading up to the auction from both local and international collectors. After a promising start, the bidding reached $2.1 million before the battle was lost and the reserve not quite reached. Specialists at Bonhams & Goodman will be speaking with interested parties in the coming days.
The militaria sold extremely well, despite a late withdrawal of a highly important group of WWI and WWII medals. The highlight was the sale of a rare and historically significant document relating to the potential Japanese Invasion of Darwin during WWII. Dated 27 March 1942, the document contains a set of orders sent to D Company, 43 Battalion, to defend Darwin from imminent Japanese attack. Estimated at $875 – $1,300, the document was eventually knocked down for $3,675, including Buyer’s Premium.