The Artcurial Motorcars Retromobile Auction 2014 was held 7-8 February at the Retromobile Show in Paris, resulting in €29 million in total sales and an 85% sell-through rate. The total sales figure was the highest ever for a collector car auction staged in France, beating Artcurial’s own record set at the same event last year.
With 177 motor cars and 15 motorcycles on offer, the top result at the Artcurial Retromobile Paris 2014 sale went to the 1953 Ferrari 166 MM/53 Oblin Barchetta that sold post-sale for €2,550,000, followed by the 1931 Bentley 8-litre Sportsman Coupe Gurney Nutting that brought €2,190,400 and the 1924 Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8A at €1,287,200. The pre-war Bentley won the 1932 RAC Best Coachwork Award and the 1999 Louis Vuitton Concours Best of Show. The auctioneer and former Le Mans racing driver Hervé Poulain took to the auction rostrum for some ten hours over two days.
Other highlights of the 2014 Artcurial Retromobile Auction included:
- 1927 Delahaye 135 Coupe des Alpes cabriolet by Chapron (lot 313), that had been owned by the same family since 1961 and was offered in original condition sold for €619,800
- 1962 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud Mulliner Cabriolet owned during the 1970s by Brigitte Bardot selling for €286,100, the Ringo Starr 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Hardtop Cabriolet changing hands for €48,900 and Philippe Starck’s rare beach car, the 1972 Fiat Shellette selling for €41,700
- 1974 Ferrari 365 GT4 Berlinetta Boxer (estimate €70,000 – 110,000) that sold for €262,200 and the 1968 Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 (estimate €80,000 – 120,000) that sold for €181,200
- 1975 Citroen SM Mylord by Chapron, one of just seven examples built and bought new from the Chapron stand by the car’s one owner sold for €548,300
- 1941 Pierre Faure electric car, offered at no reserve with an estimate of €15,000 – 25,000 found a new owner for €51,300, and the 1953 Reyonnah A175 roadster prototype estimated to sell for €50,000 – 80,000, sold for €125,200.
- 1980 Renault 5 Turbo Groupe 4 Calberson fetching €399,300 and the 1984 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 Evolution 1 Group B factory car selling for €312,500
A highlight of the automobilia sale was a collection of archive material belonging to the designer Tom Tjaarda, including design models, sketches, photographs and press cuttings, that sold for €13,000.
For the first time, Artcurial Motorcars also presented a second sale on 8 February — the SOLO ALFA sale, featuring a private Italian collection of just over 40 post-war models. Strong prices were recorded throughout the sale, with the star lot, the 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ coupe that was delivered new in France, selling for €955,400. Other highlights included the 1970 Alfa Romeo GTAm, driven onto the block by Carlo Facetti who competed in this car during the 1973 season, that sold for €329,000 and the 1956 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce (estimate €100,000 – 120,000) that sold for €178,800. Bidders’ enthusiasm stayed strong right through to the last lot of the 2-day sale, with the 1972 Alfa Romeo Giulia Super 1.6 Familiare, a rare vehicle in need of total restoration, attracting multiple bids and finally selling for three times its estimate at €15,500.
Artcurial Paris Retromobile 2014 – Top Ten Auction Results
1. 1953 Ferrari 166MM/53 Barchetta by Oblin (lot 321) – €2,550,000 (post block)
2. 1931 Bentley 8-litre Sportsman Coupe Gurney Nutting (lot 380) – €2,190,400
3. 1924 Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8A Cabriolet by Ramseier (lot 354) – €1,287,200
4. 1934 Hispano-Suiza J12 Type 68 by Vanvooren (lot 347) – €1,127,000
5. 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing (lot 373) – €964,000
6. 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ Coupe (lot 515) – €955,400
7. 1933 Delage D8 S Cabriolet by Pourtout (lot 352) – €949,700
8. 1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 SS (lot 365) – €941,200
9. 1969 Lamborghini Miura S (lot 360) – €806,700
10. 1969 Maserati Ghibli Spider 4.9-litre (lot 328) – €749,500
For complete results, visit Artcurial.com.
Matthieu Lamoure, Managing Director of Artcurial Motorcars, said, ” We are absolutely delighted with the results of this year’s Retromobile sale. Interest was strong across the full range of motor cars on offer and the atmosphere in the saleroom was fantastic. It was wonderful to present these cars to a room buzzing with excitement and packed with so many true enthusiasts. The results speak for themselves and our close-knit team, with a shared passion for collectors’ cars, gives Artcurial Motorcars a very special character. Selling the Ferrari 166MM the following day has been the icing on the cake!”
[Source: Artcurial; photo: Pavel Novitski]
