ong> RM Auctions celebrated its 50th annual Auburn Fall collector car auction when they returned to the historic Auburn Auction Park on the 3rd-5th September.
More than 500 outstanding cars and 400 lots of memorabilia were presented over the three day sale with total sales clearing near $18 million. The auction was highly successful achieving an impressive 91 percent sell-through rate. Bidding activity was strong at the Auburn Fall sale with bidders being represented from 34 countries and 45 percent being first-time clientele.
“This year’s Auburn Fall auction results bested those of the previous year and there was noted enthusiasm in the room for the wide-ranging offering of motor cars and automobilia. We were thrilled to see our clients participating in the auction across all of the available channels, whether via phone, internet, absentee and of course in person,” said Donnie Gould, Car Specialist, RM Sotheby’s Group. “Given the staggering amount of those who registered to bid in advance as we requested, it was reassuring to see the appetite for great American collector cars such as those highlighted in Auburn this year.”
A pair of American classics —a 1935 Auburn Eight Supercharged Speedster and a 1936 Duesenberg Model J Tourster left the auction achieving sale prices of $770,000 and $632,500 respectively.
The Auburn Eight Speedster, presented in period correct Nassau Orange finish, was fully restored and offered publicly for the first time in over two decades.
Complimenting the Auburn Eight Supercharged Speedster at the auction was the 1936 Duesenberg Model J Tourster. This car was one of only ten “JN” cars produced by Rollston for Duesenberg. It had retained its original engine, drivetrain, frame, and firewall. The Duesenberg was presented in a unique chocolate hue finish and had recently underdone a detailed mechanical and cosmetic preparation.
A notable single-owner collection that brought strong prices across the three-day auction was ‘The Bill Akin Collection’. The collection was assembled by Mr Bill Akin, historian and Indianapolis race car restorer. The collection comprised of 11 automobiles and over 250 memorabilia pieces. In total, the collection achieved $1,998,544 in sales during the Saturday sale session.
Three Indianapolis 500 race cars led the collection—a 1960 Epperly Indianapolis, raced in the 1961 Indy 500 by Lloyd Ruby and restored twice since the late 1980s ($385,000). The second Indianapolis race car was a 1961 Epperly Indianapolis. This race car saw Bobby Marshman behind the wheel during the 1962 Indianapolis 500 where it finished 5th overall ($407,000). Last but not least was a 1953 Kurtis 500 B Indianapolis, raced in both the 1953 and 1955 Indy 500 races by Jimmy Davies, where he finished 10th and 3rd respectively ($550,000).
Here are RM Auctions top 10 Sales at the 2020 Auburn Fall Auction:
| Lot 6142 | 1935 Auburn Eight Supercharged Speedster | $770,000 |
| Lot 6140 | 1936 Duesenberg Model J Tourster | $632,500 |
| Lot 6151 | 1953 Kurtis 500 B Indianapolis | $550,000 |
| Lot 6153 | 1961 Epperly Indianapolis | $407,000 |
| Lot 6152 | 1960 Epperly Indianapolis | $385,000 |
| Lot 6132 | 1933 Auburn Twelve Salon Speedster | $330,000 |
| Lot 4142 | 1935 Duesenberg II Model SJ Torpedo Phaeton | $187,000 |
| Lot 6051A | 1948 Chrysler Town and Country Convertible | $184,800 |
| Lot 6067 | 1965 Shelby 427 S/C Cobra ‘4000 Series’ | $180,400 |
| Lot 6139 | 1932 Cadillac 355-B 2/4-Passenger Roadster | $152,900 |
More information about further sales can be found at <a href=”https://rm
