Auction Results: Bonhams’ “Preserving the Automobile” Sale

Bonhams conducted an auction built almost exclusively around preservation quality cars in Philadelphia on Oct. 8, 2012. The sale was the first of its kind and was held at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum. The event saw 50 of 63 automotive lots sell (79%) for a total of $2.6M.

The high sale of the auction was a 26,000-mile 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona coupe that sold for $357,000, including buyers premium. A very interesting and rare 1965 Citroën Sahara 4×4 sold for a surprising $142,500. The car was from the Du Pont family and had only travelled 6,000 km in its lifetime. Early Lincoln sedans have been quite affordable for some time, and a 1951 Lincoln Cosmopolitan sedan continued the trend at $10,120.

Top 10:

1. 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Coupe sold for $357,000
2. 1915 Packard Model 3-38 Six Gentleman’s Roadster sold for $219,500
3. 1932 Aston Martin 1½ Liter Le Mans 2-4 Seater sold for $208,500
4. 1917 Simplex Crane Model 5 Dual-Cowl Victoria Phaeton sold for $208,500
5. 1931 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A Two-Door Faux Cabriolet sold for $186,500
6. 1960 Facel Vega Excellence Sedan sold for $159,000
7. 1965 Citroën Sahara 4×4 sold for $142,500
8. 1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25hp Close Coupled Fixed Head Coupe sold for $86,250
9. 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III Cabriolet sold for $82,800
10. 1903 Knox Model C Single Cylinder 8hp Runabout sold for $69,000

Bonhams next sale will be in London on Nov. 2, 2012, with most consignments being veteran motor cars that are eligible for the London-to-Brighton run. The company’s next U.S. sale will be held at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles on Nov. 10.