Bonham’s recent Bond Street Sale (May 19, 2021) was the first live auction for the UK motor car group in 2021. The auction saw strong sales with an impressive 95% sell-through rate. Topping the list of sales was a 1968 Aston Martin DB6 Volante which sold for £425,500.
“Today’s sale was a welcome return to the live sale format and we were pleased to witness lively bidding from the saleroom as well as from online and telephone bidders. The impressive 95 percent sale rate achieved shows that there is a keen appetite for buying and selling collector’s motor cars in the capital.”
Bonhams Motor Cars UK Head of Department, Tim Schofield.
Here is the top 10 sales from the 2021 Bond Street Sale:
| Lot no. | Description | Estimate (£) | Price (£) |
| 26 | 1968 Aston Martin DB6 Volante Chassis no. DBVC/3675/R | 400,000 – 500,000 | 425,500 |
| 17 | 1927 Bugatti Type 35B Grand Prix Two-Seater Chassis no. BC43 Engine no. 1377 | 300-000 – 500,000 | 333,500 |
| 20 | 1927 Bentley 3/4 ½-Liter Speed Model Sports Chassis no. HT1631 | 280,000 – 340,000 | 322,000 |
| 16 | 1961 AC Ace 2.6-Liter Roadster Chassis no. RSX 5006 | 240,000 – 280,000 | 287,500 |
| 28 | 1962 Lancia Flaminia Sport 3C 2.5-Liter Coupé Chassis No. 824.13.3311 | 280.000 – 340.000 | 281,750 |
| 15 | 1960 Aston Martin DB4 ‘Series V’ Sports Saloon Chassis no. DB4/266/L | 180,000 – 240,000 | 276,000 |
| 6 | 1962 Aston Martin DB4 ‘Series II’ Sports Saloon Chassis no. DB4/1007/L | 240,000 – 280,000 | 230,000 |
| 4 | c. 1971 Aston Martin DB6 Mark 2 Vantage Sports Saloon Chassis no. DB6 MK2/4184/R | 200,000 – 300,000 | 218,500 |
| 8 | 1924 Bentley 3-Liter Speed Model Tourer Chassis no. 425 | 200,000 – 300,000 | 207,000 |
| 22 | 1969 De Tomaso Mangusta Coupé Chassis no. 8MA 0994 | 200,000 – 250,000 | 201,250 |
Here’s a look at the top 5 sales:
1. Aston Martin DB6 Volante
Estimate: £400,000 – 500,000
Sold for: £425,500
The Aston Martin DB6 Volantes Mark 1 on offer was one of only 140 produced. Chassis 3875/R was sold new to Leslie Holt, Esq via H R Owen. On March 4, 1968, it was registered as ‘LES 1.’
The order form shows that the DB6 left the factory with a black finish and matching trim.
It features a ZF five-speed manual gearbox, 3-ear hubcaps, chrome road wheels, front safety belts, power-operated aerial, and a limited-slip differential with 3.73:1 final drive ratio.
The current engine features triple Weber carburetors, meaning that the example was most likely upgraded with the Vantage specification. However, it is not known who and when the upgrade was done.
2. 1927 Bugatti Type 35B Grand Prix Two-Seater
Estimate: £300-000 – 500,000
Sold for: £333,500
The debut of the Type 35 at the 1924 Grand Prix de l’ACF at Lyon-Givors gave little indication of the success that would follow as the factory team of five cars experienced tire troubles and they were only able to claim a 7th place finish.
Despite the initial setback, the Type 35 in its variety of forms became one of the most successful racing cars of all time. In 1926, it won the first World Championship for Manufacturers and multiple other wins for privateers.
The most powerful variant, being the Type 35B with a 2.3-liter supercharged engine, made its first appearance in 1927 and is the embodiment of the model’s ultimate development.
A UK collector assembled the Type 35B example in the 1970s using a reproduction chassis frame made by Alan Wragg, and many correct components. It was then purchased by Martin Johnson of Cumbria and, in 1986, sold to the consigner. The receipt on file shows the purchase price at £23,000.
The owner then had the example undergo a complete restoration acquiring the expertise of Robin Townsend of Stroud.
Other original components were also used including a GP front axle which was unnumbered, an ex-Brescia gearbox number ‘1385’ which they then modified to GP form, and a rear axle number ‘129 12×50 H’.
The automobile is fitted with an eight-cylinder 2.3-liter engine which is a Crosthwaite & Gardiner unit bearing number ‘137T’, as well as a supercharger which had the number ‘74’.
The restoration was completed in 1991. A photographic record of the restoration came with the sale.
3. 1927 Bentley 3/4 ½-Liter Speed Model Sports
Estimate: £280,000 – 340,000
Sold for: £322,000
This 1927 Bentley 3/4 ½-Liter Speed Model Sports was once in the ownership of gentleman racing driver and well-known Bentley aficionado, Forrest Lycett. Lycett was also one of the founders of the Bentley Drivers’ Club (BDC).
Lycett collected and once owned several standard and non-quite-standard Bentleys, of which many are still in existence. His collection included an exquisite 8-liter built by Lewis ‘Mac’ McKenzie, especially for him.
In 1936, Lycette commissioned the two-seat Corsica body that the example still carries to this day. Corsica was a relatively small firm based in North London that gave their clients almost unfettered freedom in terms of their car’s appearance.
The current owner obtained ‘KOY 300’ in 2006, where the vehicle undertook considerable work by Vintage and Historic restoration specialists D H Day of Swindon.
4. 1961 AC Ace 2.6-Liter Roadster
Estimate: £240,000 – 280,000
Sold for: £287,500
Originally, AC’s were powered by the long-stroke six by AC, but then given the BMW-derived Bristol engine and towards the end of production, with a 2.6-liter overhead-valve Ford Zephyr engine installed.
Only 36 production models of this Ford-powered AC Ace 2.6-Litre Roadster were produced, making this car rare indeed.
This Ace was restored between 1994 and 2006, where the engine was rebuilt by Tony Steele, and virtually all other perspectives of the renovation consigned to internationally renowned marque specialist, David Sanderson.
5. 1962 Lancia Flaminia Sport 3C 2.5-Liter Coupé
Estimate: £280.000 – 340.000
Sold for: £281,750
The 1962 Lancia Flaminia Sport 3C 2.5-Liter Coupé features the Milanese carrozzeria’s signature ‘double bubble’ roof in which low overall lines and a rounded streamlined shape are accomplished by the modest but clever device of convex head-clearance roof bulges over each front seat.
It is one of only 174 Zagato Sport 3C 2.5-Liter models built during 1962-1963.
Since 1979, chassis number ‘3311’ has been owned by one owner after Thornley Kelham, a renowned marque specialist, discovered it as a ‘barn find’ and bought it from its French owner.
The current owner then commissioned Thornley Kelham to do a complete ‘last-nut-and-bolt’ restoration to bring it to a better-than-new condition.
Bonhams Motor Cars UK team are currently preparing for the upcoming Goodwood of Festival of Speed sale which is scheduled for July 9.
[Source: Bonhams]
