Quintessential New England weather, signature rare, pre-war motorcars, and the 1932 Ford Collection, best known as "Deuces" had bidders flocking to the Larz Anderson Auto Museum, in Brookline, Massachusetts from as far as New Zealand, the West Coast, and the Deep South on Saturday, September 26th. The day's sale total was nearly $2-million, with bidders competing for a diverse offering of collector motorcars, spanning the very early pre great war years, to the classic era. The 30 vintage Fords on the block drew a wide geographic range of bidders, due to the rarity to market of such a collection, featuring the hot-rodder's favorite year, 1932, with many examples presented unrestored, or with highly desirable performance enhancements.
Three of the 1932 Ford Roadsters drew top prices, including the crown jewel of the Ford Collection, exemplifying the modified Fords, the 1932 Ford Model B Deluxe Roadster, with adrenaline injection which sold for $83,070, to a bidder under the tent, who beat out mid-west interest from the phone banks; a Deluxe Model B V-8 , well-running, turn key Deuce Roadster went for $81,900 to a bidder in the room, against stiff competition from the West Coast; while the 1932 Ford Model 18 Deluxe Roadster, one of the purest '32 roadsters to come to market in years drew $76,050, with the bidder present at the event entering the winning bid just as the auctioneers hammer fell.
The day's top lot was the 1937 AC 16/80 Competition Model Two-Seater from the estate of the late John J. Dalessandro, an avid vintage car enthusiast from New York, selling for $166,500; and the second highest bid of the day $133,500, went for a very interesting, beautiful, fast (and loud!) 1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom/Hispano-Suiza aero-engined Special Speedster. The youngest bidder of the day, seated with some well-known collectors and regular attendees at this annual Brookline event, got one of the most highly sought after collectibles, a very rare 1924 Wills Saint Claire A68 V8 Two Seater Sports Roadster, for $154,400 to thunderous applause – even from those bidders he beat out. And, this young collector follows great company, as the car hailed from two major collections in America, that of the late Bill Harrah of Harrah's fame and the late William B. Ruger.
The earliest known Stanley Steamer, a 1901 Runabout, an important historical find, drew the interest of collectors and institutions world-wide, selling for $88,920. Built right in Newton, MA, this post-Locomobile era Stanley had emerged from a private collection where it has been since the 1960's.
"Wonderful to see such global interest in the great American Ford's of the thirties," Rupert Banner, Bonhams business development director said. "We welcomed old friends, met folks who drove from as far as Virginia for a chance to own their vintage Ford, and flew in from New Zealand for coveted Ford parts, while peeking the interest of collectors world-wide with our offerings at this year's "Vintage New England" sale.
Other sale highlights include:
• 1927 Packard Series 4-43 Custom Eight Phaeton, selling for $111,150.
• A 1900 De Dion Bouton 4 ½ hp Vis-á-vis – A Veteran Car Club of Great Britain and potential early London to Brighton start car, sold to a phone bidder for $91,200.
• A rare 1956 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria Skyliner, one of reportedly only six with the rare three-speed overdrive transmission, an AACA National First prize winner, sold for $78,390.
Full results of Bonhams' Vintage New England motorcar auction is online at www.bonhams.com/brookline.
The firm's motorcar department will move on to the West Coast for "Classic California," a sale of motorcars, motorcycles and related memorabilia, at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles on November 14th.www.bonhams.com/petersen
For information please contact Bonhams Motoring Department. E-mails can be sent to motors.us@bonhams.com or calls may be made to the following individuals: Rupert Banner, Motoring Dept. Business Development Dir., New York, 212- 461-6515; Mark Osborne, Motoring Department Director, San Francisco, 415-391-4000. For more information on Motoring Dept. sales at Bonhams, please visit: www.bonhams.com/motors
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