Thousands of vintage car collectors and enthusiasts poured into the southern Danish island of Lolland this weekend for the auction of the famed—and highly unusual—collection at the Aalholm Automobile Museum. It had been a challenge for RM Auctions to value the 181 lots, most of which had sat unused for decades, so there were bound to be surprises. By far the biggest one, however, was the $1.7m paid for a 1938 Maybach Zeppelin DS8 Roadster. That was over 10 times the pre-sale estimate for the auction, which brought in $12.6m.Other stars at the August 13th sale were a 1911 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Roi Des Belges Tourer, which sold for $874,000, almost triple its estimate, and a 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio Drophead Coupe, which realized $669,000. Among the more unusual lots were a number of early brass-era cars from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, led by a 1903 Renault 10 CV Limousine which rose well above its estimate, to $223,000. International interest in the sale was high, with bidders coming from a remarkable 34 countries, including Russia, Japan, Malaysia, and the U.S.
1938 Maybach Scores $1.7m At Aalholm
August 13, 2012
A Duesenberg Like No Other, $4.5m
March 11, 2013A 1935 Duesenberg coupe, Model SJ, with a supercharged, 8-cylinder engine and a sexy body sold for $4.5m this past weekend by RM Auctions at the Amelia Island sale. Only three SJs came from the factory. This was the only one equipped with the supercharger.
With its low slung, sculpted profile, three speed transmission, and semi-automatic convertible top, the Model SJ was Duesenberg’s entry in a more aerodynamic, up to date design compared to some of its earlier models. The SJ was designed by J. Herbert Newport. Coachwork by Walker-LaGrande.
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Tiny Cars Draw Very Large Prices
February 25, 2013It was the largest collection of the smallest cars in the world. Bruce Weiner began assembling his 200-strong collection microcars like the Peel P50 and Fiat Multipla more than 20 years ago. Last week, after declaring his collection complete, the candy magnate sold all but his 10 favorites in an auction hosted by RM that realized almost $8.1m. Top seller at the sale, which attracted more than 1,000 bidders, was a 1958 rose-colored F.M.R. Tg500 “Tiger,” which brought a whopping $322,000.
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George Lucas’ Tucker May Fetch $2m
February 19, 2013The Tucker motor car company produced just 51 examples of the Tucker 48, known as the Torpedo, before going out of business in 1949. Characterized by its suicide doors and distinctive center headlight, which was conceived to move in tandem with the steering wheel, the 1948 car was the creation of visionary Preston Tucker, whose struggles were chronicled in a 1988 film directed by Francis Coppola and produced by George Lucas. The 1948 example that RM will offer in Amelia Island next month has its own story, having been owned by Lucas himself. The product of an extensive restoration, it’s expected to sell for $1.5m-$1.9m.
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Rising Value of Unrestored Cars
By Malcolm Welford, Vintage Car Specialist
