BUXTON, ENGLAND (April 22, 2009) – Although the combined gross across the motorcars, motorcycles, automobilia, bicycles, and registration plates of over $2 million was by no means a house record, H&H’s 100th auction on April 16 will nevertheless go down in company history thanks to the fantastic saleroom atmosphere and bumper attendance levels it generated. No fewer than 1,073 people registered to bid (283 of them opting to participate by telephone) during the jam-packed two-day event that also saw interested parties arrive from France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus and North America. Many of those who journeyed to Buxton […]
BUXTON, ENGLAND (April 22, 2009) – Although the combined gross across the motorcars, motorcycles, automobilia, bicycles, and registration plates of over $2 million was by no means a house record, H&H’s 100th auction on April 16 will nevertheless go down in company history thanks to the fantastic saleroom atmosphere and bumper attendance levels it generated.
No fewer than 1,073 people registered to bid (283 of them opting to participate by telephone) during the jam-packed two-day event that also saw interested parties arrive from France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus and North America. Many of those who journeyed to Buxton had come to see (and try to acquire) the 34 motorcars and four motorcycles entered by a private Lake District family. Amassed over four decades, the vehicles from the collection had seen little, if any, use during that time and were in various states of preservation and / or decay. Despite ominous rust piles appearing from several of their undersides during the view, the Lake District cars still succeeded in captivating bidders’ imaginations. They were a complete sell-out, with many achieving multiple estimate prices.
Star of the Lake District cars, not to mention the sale, was the 1937 Alvis 4.3 Litre Short Chassis Vanden Plas Tourer. A slightly scruffy older restoration but one of just twelve built, the Alvis fetched $295k. Another strong performer from the collection included the converted 1934 Bentley 3.5 Litre Tourer at $70k.
Doubtless helped by the interest shown in the Lake District vehicles, bidding on the other 58 cars present at the auction was strong too.
