Leigh and Leslie Keno, the brothers widely known for their appraisals on the Emmy-nominated PBS television show ‘Antiques Roadshow’, announced ‘Keno Brothers Fine Automobile Auctions’, their new venture in the automobile marketplace.
Their inaugural auction, entitled ‘Rolling Sculpture’, will launch in the midst of the art auction season with an event in New York City on Thursday, November 19, 2015 in a showroom in Manhattan. The sale will precede the second iteration of RM Sotheby’s ‘Art of the Automobiles‘ sale, which will be held on Thursday, December 10th at Sotheby’s headquarters in Manhattan.
The Keno Brothers’ two-and-a-half day pre-sale exhibition, which begins Tuesday November 17th, will celebrate automobiles as purposeful ‘rolling works of art.’
Early consignments for the Keno Brothers New York City 2015 auction include a 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400 S with original paint and boar’s hide interior (Estimate: $800,000 – $1,600,000).
“It’s automobiles like these that are carefully curated to present some of the greatest achievements in automotive history,” said Co-Founder Leslie Keno. “Each car is extraordinary and will be elegantly displayed so that its history, styling and special attributes can be appreciated within its unique historical context.”
“We apply the same criteria and principles to motor cars that we use to evaluate works of art—line, proportion, design, originality and provenance,” Co-Founder Leigh Keno commented. “In addition to assessment and essays by the top experts in a particular make and marque, we will provide deep information on each car that makes transactions more transparent, reduces trading friction and makes the learning curve less steep for new collectors and sellers, including heirs.”
The Keno brothers are applying the same evaluation techniques and scientific technology used in the art and antiques world to the classic car world, in an effort to raise the standard by which cars are assessed and represented.
“When a potential buyer is considering acquiring a work of art by Alexander Calder, Andy Warhol or an exceptional automobile by Ferrari or Bugatti, there should be no “guesswork”, said Leslie Keno. “Many of the technologies we’ve used in the fine art and furniture world will assist us in distinguishing the true condition of these automobiles more accurately than ever before.”
For example, when appropriate, scientists will apply a variety of x-ray analytical technologies used in the art world in order to take the guesswork out of the purchase, allowing potential buyers to bid with confidence.
While car collectors will have the chance to bid on these automobiles during the live event, bidders will also be able to participate online in real-time, thanks to proprietary new software. Developed by Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder Bradley R. Farrell, this software collects automobile data in new ways, making the rarity and quality of a given automobile easier to understand and giving potential bidders a more informed purchasing experience.
Previously, Bradley Farrell oversaw his own digital marketing and technology company, responsible for creating experiences for companies that included Citrix and Cisco Systems’ global marketing teams.
For further information on Keno Brothers Fine Automobile Auctions, visit KenoBrothers.com.
[Source: Keno Brothers]
Bless their hearts.