The Bonhams London New Bond Street 2013 Auction was held 1st December at Bonhams’ newly redesigned and refurbished London headquarters, resulting in £16.8 in total sales and an 83% sell-through rate.
All eight cars in Dick Skipworth’s collection from the legendary Scottish Ecurie Ecosse team that won two consecutive Le Mans 24-Hour races in 1956 and 1957, sold for record prices.The team’s 1952 Jaguar C-Type sold for £2,900,000, amid auction-room applause, while their 1956 Jaguar D-Type ‘Short Nose’ sold for £2,600,000. Both went to a buyer in the United States.
The Skipworth Collection’s 1951 Jaguar XK120 Roadster made a record £707,000, while the 1959 Tojeiro-Jaguar Sports-Racing Prototype brought £382,300, the 1960 Cooper Monaco-Climax ‘Mark II’ Type 57 Sports-Racing Prototype sold for £219,900, the 1962-63 Tojeiro EE-Buick Endurance Racing Coupe changed hands for £214,300 and the 1961 Austin-Healey Sprite Two-Seat Grand Touring Coupe traded for £61,980.
However, it was the Ecurie Ecosse three-car Transporter, the unique 1960 Commer TS3 immortalised for many by the Corgi toy, which exceeded all expectations as it was sold to the same US buyer for £1,800,000 after a telephone bidding war that lasted almost 20 minutes.
The 800-strong crowd in Bonhams’ £30-million New Bond Street headquarters — opened by London Mayor Boris Johnson on October 24 — erupted as auctioneer Robert Brooks’ hammer sealed this sale of the most valuable historic commercial vehicle ever sold at auction.
Following the Ecurie Ecosse Collection’s sale excitement, the spotlight turned to Ringo Starr’s 1964 Facel Vega II Coupe, which sold for £337,500 while seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher’s 1994 Benetton-Cosworth Ford B194 went to a German museum in Boeblingen for £617,500, bringing the auction total to £16,861,630.
Other notable results at the 2013 Bonhams New Bond Street sale included the 1959 Aston Martin DB4GT that sold for £1,569,500, the 1934 Aston Martin Ulster Two-Seater Sports that made £1,300,700 and the 1938 BMW 328 Sports Two-Seater that brought £785,500.
James Knight, Bonhams’ Group Motoring Director, said, “We always knew that today’s Sale had the potential to be a roaring success, but nobody quite anticipated the incredible atmosphere in the saleroom that saw so many truly historic cars go for such astounding prices. The Jaguars especially were exceptionally popular, and I am delighted that the Transporter will still be carrying two of its original Ecurie Ecosse racing cars.”
Bonhams London New Bond Street 2013 – Top Five Auction Results
1. 1952 Jaguar C-Type, ex-Ecurie Ecosse – £2,913,500
2. 1956 Jaguar D-Type ex-Ecurie Ecosse – £2,577,500
3. 1960 Commer TS3 Three-Car Transporter, ex-Ecurie Ecosse – £1,793,500
4. 1959 Aston Martin DB4GT – £1,569,500
5. 1934 Aston Martin Ulster Two-Seater Sports – £1,300,700
For complete results, visit Bonhams London Sale.
[Source: Bonhams]
