Artcurial taking 300 SL to ‘Paris to Hong Kong’ auction

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Artcurial will offer 1961 Mercedes-Benz roadster at Hong Kong auction | Artcurial photos
Artcurial will offer 1961 Mercedes-Benz roadster at Hong Kong auction | Artcurial photos

French auction house Artcurial will include a 1961 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL roadster in the “From Paris to Hong Kong” art auction it has scheduled October 5-6 in Hong Kong in conjunction with the Spink & sons, a British auction company that dates to 1666.

“Artcurial will, for the first time, offer at auction a collectors’ car in Asia,” Artcurial managing director of motorcars Matthieu Lamoure is quoted in a news release. “For this debut, we will present a Mercedes 300 SL roadster, one of the most iconic sports cars in automobile history, a perfect combination of a racing heritage and an exceptional level of sophistication.

“It is clear that we are in the presence of a truly exceptional example here, as this car has been maintained regularly and meticulously in the hands of the same family for 48 years, and it can’t fail to attract the attention of collectors worldwide. We are proud to bring this wonderful car to Hong Kong.”Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster 7 - © Artcurial

According to Artcurial, From Paris to Hong Kong is designed to share the story of “works of art and objects of beauty spanning three centuries, from decorative arts to major international works of art.”

The 300 SL is a 1961 model, among the last built and, Artcurial noted, “benefits from the ultimate technical developments including disc brakes.”

The auction house adds that the car was owned by the same family from 1965 until 2013. A pre-auction estimated value of $1.3 million to $1.5 million has been announced for the car.

Artcurial was founded in 2002, primarily as an art auction house. In 2010, it hired Lamoure, whose parents were both art teachers and who became head of Bonhams’ European motorcar department in 2006 after three years as a car specialist there. At Artcurial, Lamoure was reunited with Herve Poulain, the French auctioneer with whom Lamoure had worked for six years before joining Bonhams. Under his leadership, Artcurial’s Retromobile sale has become one of the major auctions on the collector car calendar.

Spink (officially Spink & sons) was established in 1666 as a goldsmith and pawn brokerage, in the 1700s focused on gold and silver and in the 1800s purchased a small mint. In 1897, it produced metals for Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee. It also started to deal in British photography and Oriental art. It also added furniture restoration and stamp collecting to its business plan. In 1993 it became part of Christie’s and in 2002 was purchased from Christie’s by a Singapore-based investment group. In 2012, Spink expanded to Hong Kong.