With bidding taking place at five venues, opening-day collector car auction sales totaled $27.4 million Thursday, according to the Hagerty Insider, which noted that figure is nearly three times more than in previous years. Reasons, of course, included early starts for Bonhams, which is a two-day sale this year, and RM Sotheby’s, this year a three-day event.
RM Sotheby’s expansion included a single-marque sale on Thursday, when it offered “A Night with Aston Martin.”
“RM Sotheby’s has been successful with other single marque sales, having conducted an all-Ferrari sale in 2017 and an all-Porsche sale late last year,” Hagerty reported. “Compared to the Porsche sale, the Aston Martin sale had a lower sell-through rate of 71 percent vs. 84 percent, but Astons are generally more exclusive cars and carried a higher average price of nearly $585,000.
“The first huge Aston of the evening was the 1965 DB5 Shooting Brake by Radford. One of just a dozen built, it sold for $1.765 million to become the most expensive shooting brake (British-speak for wagon) ever sold at auction.
“Three lots later was a different DB5 entirely, and what people have been referring to all week simply as “the Bond car.” Used as a promotional car for Thunderball and fitted with all the appropriate gadgets, the 007-spec 1965 Aston Martin DB5 sold for $6,385,000 to become the most expensive DB5 ever sold at auction.
“There were other strong sales, but these were the only two home runs of the night at RM Sotheby’s, with the other star Aston – a 1953 DB3S works race car – failing to sell at a $7.5 million high bid.”
Meanwhile, Hagerty noted, “Bonhams consigned nearly 90 more cars than in 2018 and did so with varying degrees of success. Saving most of the more expensive cars for Friday, this extra day emphasized the more affordable end of the market with an average sale price less than one-third of Bonhams’ single day sale last year.
“Examples that sold very well were a 1971 Datsun 240Z selling for $44,800 and a 1979 Mazda RX-7 GS for $14,560.”
At Worldwide Auctioneers, the top sale was also “the oldest and certainly one of the most interesting cars on offer this week, with the 1898 Riker Stanhope Electric selling for $605,000. Another big result from Worldwide was $242,000 for a 1965 Jaguar E-Type SI 4.2 roadster.
Hagerty reported that Russo and Steele sold a 1964 Porsche 356C cabriolet for a strong $115,500 and a 1986 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16v for a surprisingly high $27,500.
Meanwhile, at Mecum, a 1972 AMC Gremlin X brought $22,000. In addition to hundreds of cars, Mecum’s docket includes a variety of classic motorcycles, with a 1914 Harley-Davidson 10E Twin selling Thursday for $77,000.
While Worldwide’s was a one-day sale, the others continue Friday and are joined by the first of two days of auction action at Gooding & Company.
Overall through Thursday from all auction companies
Cumulative total: $27.4 million
240/418 lots sold: 57 percent sell-through rate
Average sale price: $114,135
2018 results for Thursday
Total: $9.2 million
188/345 lots sold: 54 percent sell-through rate
Average sale price: $48,880
Overall Top 10 Sales auctions through Thursday
1. 1965 Aston Martin DB5 “Bond Car” Saloon sold for $6,385,000 (RM Sotheby’s)
2. 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Shooting Brake sold for $1,765,000 (RM Sotheby’s)
3. 1963 Aston Martin DB5 Drophead Coupe sold for $1,325,000 (RM Sotheby’s)
4. 1930 Bentley Speed Six Le Mans Replica Tourer sold for $874,000 (Bonhams)
5. 1964 Aston Martin DB5 Saloon sold for $643,000 (RM Sotheby’s)
6. 1960 Aston Martin DB4 Saloon sold for $621,000 (RM Sotheby’s)
7. 1898 Riker Electric Stanhope Runabout sold for $605,000 (Worldwide Auctioneers)
8. 1961 Aston Martin DB4 Saloon sold for $577,000 (RM Sotheby’s)
9. 1966 Ferrari 330 GTC Coupe sold for $450,500 (Bonhams)
10. 1969 Aston Martin DB6 Mk II Vantage Saloon sold for $434,000 (RM Sotheby’s)
Results by auction company
RM SOTHEBY’S
Cumulative total: $14.0 million
24/34 lots sold: 71 percent sell-through rate
Average sale price: $584,754
Overall Top 10 Sales:
1. 1965 Aston Martin DB5 “Bond Car” Saloon sold for $6,385,000
2. 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Shooting Brake sold for $1,765,000
3. 1963 Aston Martin DB5 Drophead Coupe sold for $1,325,000
4. 1964 Aston Martin DB5 Saloon sold for $643,000
5. 1960 Aston Martin DB4 Saloon sold for $621,000
6. 1961 Aston Martin DB4 Saloon sold for $577,000
7. 1969 Aston Martin DB6 Mk II Vantage Saloon sold for $434,000
7. 1987 Aston Martin V8 Zagato Coupe sold for $434,000
9. 1957 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk II Coupe sold for $302,000
10. 2003 Aston Martin DB AR1 Convertible sold for $296,500
BONHAMS
Cumulative total: $7.5 million
72/89 lots sold: 81 percent sell-through rate
Average sale price: $104,600
Overall Top 10 Sales:
1. 1930 Bentley Speed Six Le Mans Replica Tourer sold for $874,000
2. 1966 Ferrari 330 GTC Coupe sold for $450,500
3. 1956 Porsche 356A Carrera GS Coupe sold for $412,000
4. 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Coupe sold for $379,000
5. 1957 Porsche 356A 1600 Super Speedster sold for $315,200
6. 1970 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Limousine sold for $266,560
7. 1995 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.8 Coupe sold for $231,840
8. 2003 Aston Martin DB AR1 Convertible sold for $218,400
9. 2003 BMW Z8 Roadster sold for $207,200
10. 1971 Ferrari 365 GTC/4 Coupe sold for $196,000
WORLDWIDE AUCTIONEERS
Cumulative total: $3.0 million
25/37 lots sold: 68 percent sell-through rate
Average sale price: $118,228
Overall Top 10 Sales:
1. 1898 Riker Electric Stanhope Runabout sold for $605,000
2. 1931 Cadillac Series 370A Fleetwood Roadster, 2/4-p. sold for $297,000
3. 1958 Porsche 356A 1600 Super Speedster sold for $264,000
4. 1965 Jaguar E-Type SI 4.2 Roadster sold for $242,000
5. 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona Hardtop Coupe sold for $203,500
6. 1930 Cadillac Series 452 Fleetwood Imperial Landau Cabriolet, 5/7-p. sold for $176,000
7. 1966 Jaguar E-Type SI 4.2 Coupe sold for $154,000
8. 1908 Stevens-Duryea Model X Touring sold for $110,000
8. 1958 Mercedes-Benz 190SL Convertible sold for $110,000
10. 1967 Oldsmobile Toronado Mannix Roadster sold for $101,200
2018 results
Total: $5.5 million
33/59 lots sold: 56 percent sell-through rate
Average sale price: $167,267
MECUM
Cumulative total $2.4 million
101/223 lots sold: 45 percent sell-through rate
Average sale price: $23,468
Overall Top 10 Sales:
1. 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Coupe sold for $137,500
2. 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Sport Coupe sold for $80,300
3. 1914 Harley-Davidson 10E Twin Motorcycle sold for $77,000
4. 1933 Ford Model 40 Street Rod Coupe sold for $63,800
5. 1967 Volkswagen Samba Van sold for $63,800
6. 1973 DeTomaso Pantera Coupe sold for $55,000
7. 1987 Buick Regal GNX Coupe sold for $50,600
8. 1988 BMW M5 Sedan sold for $50,600
9. 2001 Porsche 911 Turbo Coupe sold for $50,050
10. 2008 Audi R8 4.2 Quattro Coupe sold for $49,500
2018 results through Thursday
Total: $3.1 million
128/233 lots sold: 55 percent sell-through rate
Average sale price: $24,325
RUSSO AND STEELE
Cumulative total through Thursday: $0.5 million
18/35 lots sold: 51 percent sell-through rate
Average sale price: $27,842
Overall Top 10 Sales:
1. 1965 Porsche 356C Cabriolet sold for $115,500
2. 1971 DeTomaso Pantera Coupe sold for $73,700
3. 1991 Land Rover Defender 110 sold for $68,200
4. 1972 Datsun 240Z Coupe sold for $34,100
5. 1986 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3 16v Sedan sold for $27,500
6. 2013 Mercedes-Benz E550 Cabriolet sold for $26,675
7. 1926 Kissel Brougham Coupe sold for $25,300
8. 1991 BMW M5 Sedan sold for $24,200
9. 2001 Mercedes-Benz SL600 Roadster sold for $19,800
10. 1977 International (IHC) Scout II Traveltop Utility 4×4 sold for $17,050
2018 Results through Thursday
Total: $0.6million
27/53 lots sold: 51 percent sell-through rate
Average sale price: $20,594
Figures provided by Hagerty Media Properties
