This past Thursday, Bonhams hosted their 3rd annual motorcycle auction at the Las Vegas Bally’s Hotel & Casino on The Strip front of record breaking standing crowd during the entire sale. The catalog consisted of an incredible assortment of rare and important motorcycles from around the world, including several machines from prominent museums and private collections such the E. Paul du Pont family, the Springfield Museum, and prestigious private collections from Europe, Asia and America.
The world-headlining 1939 BMW Rennsport 255 Kompressor sold to a private American collector within hours after the auction for $480,000. Continuing the trend from previous years of offering rare competition BMWs, this time a post-war machine, the 1954 BMW Rennsport 54 sidecar racing outfit brought $167,800 after spirited international bidding, being acquired by a private American collector synonymous with the marque.
A 1952 Vincent Black Shadow, another marque for which Bonhams is renowned for holding world records, made $134,800 and went to a collection in the Middle East after winning against multiple US bidders. The ex-Otis Chandler 1920 Mars Type A20 brought $86,250 and will make its home at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Birmingham, Alabama, where it will be on public display.
A quintessential barn find and literally untouched for 75 years, the Australian speedway championship 1929 Harley-Davidson Pea Shooter brought $69,000 from the official sculptor for Harley-Davidson Motor Company. The much discussed ex-Indian Motorcycle Museum 1902 Rambler Model B in original condition sold for $66,700 after intense interest from collectors in the audience and on the telephones.
Said Malcolm Barber, Bonhams Group CEO and auctioneer at this year’s sale, “Now in our third year here in Las Vegas we have witnessed year on year growth and particularly this year many new attendees and registrants. The international motorcycle market shows strength at all levels.”
The Bonhams international motorcycle department is the world’s leader in collectors’ motorcycle auctions. With sales taking place in the United States, England, Germany and France, the next motoring auction takes place at the Grand Palais in Paris on February 7th during Retromobile week with over 100 motorcycles. Consignments are now being accepted for Bonhams’ auction at the 33rd annual International Classic MotorCycle Show in Stafford, England, on April 28th. To consign motorcycles to this or other Bonhams’ auctions, please contact: Ben Walker, London: 011-44-8963-2817 ben.walker@bohams.com. Nick Smith, Los Angeles: 323-436-5470 / nick.smith@bonhams.com
A mixed blessing……….???
The up side:
For those with classics, many of them will be appreciating.
(insurance appraiser evaluated the 42FL sitting out in the shop at 3 to 4 the purchase price)
The down side:
Appreciation is useless to those who will never sell their prize possession.
States like CA expect to get their cut when a “collectable” is sold.
Limited use of scooters that are too valuable to take to an event and leave sitting un-attended.
Thieves who will sell them off-shore, no chance of recovery.
Insurance rates are going up to cover losses due to theft or damage.
Now, for those in the business, this may open up as many opportunities as became available when the custom bike scene went “mainstream.”
But, from my perspective, all this new attention brings nothing to the table for those of us who have been doing this for years, not for profit, but just for the joy of it.
We are looking at the same invasion that moved us out of building custom scooters, now moving us out of the vintage scooters…….
Just one amn’s perspective.
-nicker-
What did the CA. MFG. 1905 Leo 2 stroker go for and where to?
Note: custom bike don’t bring Didley Sqwat! Bikes must original to bring money!