Trigano collection does $4.7 million at auction

Andre Trigano was born to Jewish parents in Paris in 1925, fled to the mountains when the Nazi invaded and became active in the Resistance despite being arrested three times by the Gestapo. The war over, Trigano expanded his family’s camping-supply business and he became active in local politics, serving multiple terms as a mayor and representative to the National Assembly.

He also became a racer and car collector and this past weekend Artcurial Motorcars posted a 100 percent sell-through of the 170-vehicle Andre Trigano collection for $4.7 million in an auction staged under coronavirus pandemic guidelines in the southwest of France.

Bidders were spread into two large rooms as well as online and by telephone. 

“What a success for a sale paying tribute to the passion of an exceptional man,” was the reaction of Matthieu Lamoure, Artcurial Motorcars managing director. “A breath of fresh air during these extraordinary times.”

The top sale of the event was a 1967 Lamborghini 400 GT 2+2 that Trigano bought new and has owned ever since. The car sold for $570,580 (including buyer’s fee) after “several tense minutes” of bidding. 

Other top sales included a 1957 Lancia B24 S Aurelia convertible by Pinin Farina for $285,290, a 1970 Aston Martin DBS V8 for $221,070, a 1962 Rolls-Royce Phantom V limousine by James Young for $213,970 and a 1960 Facel Vega HK 500 for $149,750.

The 1962 Rolls limousine sold after “hotly contested” bidding, the auction house noted, while the 1970 Aston Martin was a two-owner car. 

A 1973 Pontiac Grand Safari station wagon sold for $58,530, 8 times its pre-auction high estimate and a 1976 Chevrolet Blazer went for a reported auction-record price of $77,000. 

Another record set at the sale was the $59,950 paid for a Renault 4L painted by Arman and purchased by a Parisian who collects both art and automobiles.

A barn-found 1939 Lincoln Zephyr V12 coupe brought $31,400 and a World War II Dodge WC56 command car sold for $12,080.