In mid-century, few industrial designers could rival the portfolio of Raymond Loewy, who was responsible for such iconic creations as the Coca-Cola bottle, the Gray Hound Bus, and the stylish Avanti coupe. Loewy’s own Avanti II coupe, which he purchased in 1972 and had shipped back to Paris, is one of the highlights at Bonhams “Grandes Marques” sale in Monaco on May 11th, when it’s expected to sell for $46,000-$65,700.The Avanti’s provenance sets it apart, but there are actually much more valuable cars in the sale, like an ultra-rare Alfa Romeo 1750 Gran Sport Spider. One of the first few racing cars produced by Scuderia Ferrari in 1930, and bodied by Zagato, it was campaigned by Luigi Scarfiotti in such races as the Mille Milia. Remarkably, the car still has matching numbers and has been meticulously authenticated. It’s expected to realize $1.1m-$1.3m.
