RM Sotheby’s set a new record for a private automobile collection auction on May 2, generating a remarkable $53,887,585 with 100% of all lots sold at its sale of the Paul and Chris Andrews Collection in Fort Worth, TX. The result of more than 15 years of dedicated and meticulous acquisition by the father-and-son team, the Andrews Collection is widely known and respected by the global collector community for its exceptional quality, diversity, presentation and historical significance. The weekend’s sale, staged as part of an effort to pare down the collection to a more manageable size, lifted the gavel on a […]
RM Sotheby’s set a new record for a private automobile collection auction on May 2, generating a remarkable $53,887,585 with 100% of all lots sold at its sale of the Paul and Chris Andrews Collection in Fort Worth, TX.
The result of more than 15 years of dedicated and meticulous acquisition by the father-and-son team, the Andrews Collection is widely known and respected by the global collector community for its exceptional quality, diversity, presentation and historical significance. The weekend’s sale, staged as part of an effort to pare down the collection to a more manageable size, lifted the gavel on a total 78 vehicles and select memorabilia before a packed house. Strong results were recorded across all categories, with multiple spirited bidding contests and prices frequently exceeding their estimates. Reflecting the collection’s strong international reputation and RM Sotheby’s extensive global reach, bidders hailed from 16 countries, with 1/3 representing first-time clientele.
“It has been an absolute honor to work with Paul, Chris and their team, and to add the Andrews Collection to our portfolio of successful single-vendor sales,” says Ian Kelleher, Managing Director of RM Sotheby’s West Coast Division. “Paul and Chris have been such strong mainstays in the classic car industry over the past 15 years, and to see their extraordinary efforts and commitment to preserving automotive history rewarded with such fantastic results is hugely gratifying. The sale attracted tremendous interest from around the world, with 33 percent of bidders new to RM Sotheby’s. There is certainly no better introduction to the exciting world of collector cars than through the incredible offerings of the Andrews Collection.”
Top sale honors at the May 2 auction went to the sale’s cover car — the desirable covered-headlight 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB cabriolet, chassis no. 3309 SA (pictured), which led a string of 16 individual million-dollar-plus sales. The last of only seven examples bodied by Pininfarina, the Superamerica sparked a lively bidding contest in the room and on the phones, before eventually selling for a strong $7,645,000 to applause from the audience; the impressive result represents a new record for the model at auction.
The seven-hour sale also established a new auction benchmark for American classics, with a number of exceptional, coachbuilt examples well exceeding expectations. Highlighting this segment was the striking 1934 Packard Twelve Individual Custom Stationary Coupe by Dietrich, chassis no. 901968, which soared past its high estimate to achieve a strong $4,180,000 – a new world record for a Packard sold at auction. A 1938 Packard Eight cabriolet with one-off coachwork by Graber was also hotly contested, selling for $1,760,000.
Duesenbergs also achieved great success, headlined by the sale of the “Ethel Mars” 1935 Model SJ Town Car, J-553, for $3,630,000. A painstakingly restored 1931 Model J “Disappearing Top” convertible coupe, J-395, also drew fierce bids, selling for an above-estimate $3,520,000. Reflecting the incredible quality of the American classics as a group, other notable sales included a 1931 Marmon Sixteen convertible coupe for $1,320,000 and a 1930 Cadillac V16 convertible sedan for $1,925,000.
Kelleher adds, “At a time when Ferraris and post-war European sports and GT cars have dominated the classic car market, it is fabulous to see blue-chip American classics enjoy the spotlight. The results speak for themselves and reflect the incredible quality of the Andrews Collection as a whole.”
RM Sotheby’s – The Andrews Collection Million-Dollar-Plus Sales
1. 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Cabriolet – $7,645,000
2. 1934 Packard Twelve Individual Custom Stationary Coupe – $4,180,000
3. 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ Town Car – $3,630,000
4. 1931 Duesenberg Model J “Disappearing Top” Convertible Coupe – $3,520,000
5. 1963 Ferrari 400 Superamerica LWB Coupe Aerodinamico – $2,860,000
6. 1934 Packard Twelve Sport Coupe – $2,200,000
7. 1962 Shelby 289 Competition Cobra – $1,980,000
8. 1930 Cadillac V-16 Convertible Sedan – $1,925,000
9. 1959 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster – $1,842,500
10. 1938 Packard Eight Cabriolet – $1,760,000
11. 1962 Chevrolet Corvette “Gulf Oil” Race Car – $1,650,000
12. 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupe – $1,320,000
13. 1931 Marmon Sixteen Convertible Coupe – $1,320,000
14. 1955 Lincoln Indianapolis Exclusive Study – $1,210,000
15. 1955 Bentley R-Type Continental Sports Saloon- $1,127,500
16. 1934 Packard Twelve Individual Custom Convertible Sedan – $1,045,000
