The Bonhams Amelia Island 2016 Auction will be held Thursday, March 10 at the Fernandina Beach Golf Club on Amelia Island, Florida. More than 80 automobiles will be offered at Bonhams’ 2nd annual sale held during the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Week, in addition to selected automobilia.
Headlining the 2016 Bonhams Amelia Island sale will be a 1937 Bugatti 57SC Sports Tourer with one-off coachwork by Vanden Plas.With its low-slung chassis, dry sump lubrication and distinct V-shaped radiator, the Type 57S was considered a Grand Prix car in touring guise. Chassis number 57541 was featured in the company’s catalog and represented the firm at the London Motor Show at Olympia. 57541 also went on to race in New York and, after World War II, in Trinidad where, in the words of Bugatti historian, Pierre-Yves Laugier, its owner “made the XK120 Jaguars pay dearly…reaching speeds of 180 km/h (112 mph).”
Bonhams called the Bugatti, “authentic, well known and in impressive mechanical, structural and cosmetic condition. Its unbeatable combination of coachbuilt body and 1930s performance underpinnings result in a car of the highest known standards of the time. This is the rarest of the rare and represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” It’s estimated to sell for $11,000,000 – $13,000,000.
Bonhams will also present sports cars from Pennsylvania collector Willem van Huystee, each of which has been extensively maintained and actively campaigned around the country and on international events. Highlights from this collection include a pre-war Maserati, Riley and a brace of Bentley motorcars.
The 1933 Maserati 8C 3000 Biposto offered at Bonhams’ Amelia Island 2016 auction, chassis 3004, raced in Italy, throughout Europe, and in Great Britain — specifically at Brooklands. The car disappeared during the war but was later discovered as part of a large cache of Maseratis in the 1960s, whereupon it was restored by a British restorer back to its Grand Prix two-seater configuration. In Mr. van Huystee’s care it has been mechanically restored at the hands of Chris Leydon and been a regular sight at many competitive events in America including “The Grand Ascent” hill climb at the Elegance at Hershey, Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, Lime Rock Park and on the 2001 Mille Miglia in Italy.
The 1935 Riley MPH Two-Seater Sports ‘Swiss MPH’ was delivered new to Switzerland where it was raced in its earliest days by original owner and Swiss Riley importer Jacob Waeny. It was there that it was seen by a young Bob Lutz, also of Swiss nationality, who having admired it in the 1940s was able to secure the car in 1963. It remained with him for nearly 50 years, a stablemate as his career burgeoned with pivotal roles in Ford, Chrysler and General Motors. In van Huystee’s care for the last few years, the Riley has been technically improved and regularly used. In 2014 the car was driven on the Pebble Beach Motoring Classic, covering some 1,600 miles down the West Coast of America to arrive at the annual Concours d’Elegance in August where it received an award in the Pre-War Sports Racing Car Class.
Alongside these is a pair of Bentleys, one of which is from the Vintage Era — a 1924 Bentley 3-Litre Red Label Speed Model Tourer with original open sports touring coachwork by Park Ward. It has been successfully campaigned on several Mille Miglias, the Colorado Grand, many Bentley Drivers Club events, and a number of car shows in America. The other is a Derby-built 1935 Bentley 3 1/2-Litre from the era after acquisition by Rolls-Royce. This car is an example of the second generation of Bentleys, frequently dubbed the “Silent Sportscar,” and carries light sports saloon coachwork from Park Ward.
Other notable offerings at the 2016 Bonhams Amelia Island sale include:
- 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4, Collection of late Wade Carter, single ownership for nearly 45 years, documented by Marcel Massini (Est. $2,700,000 – $3,200,000)
- 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Cabriolet A, Coachwork by Sindelfingen, Delivered new to Embiricos, One of 32 of this design constructed (Estimate unavailable)
- 1960 Maserati 3500 GT Spider, Coachwork by Vignale, One of 242 Vignale 3500 Spiders built, known ownership history from new (Est. $800,000 – $1,000,000)
- 1910 Thomas Flyer Model K 6-70 “Flyabout”, Restored for Harold Coker in the 1970s, Former Antique Automobile cover car (Est. $900,000 – $1,200,000)
1960 Maserati 3500 GT Spider 
1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Cabriolet A
1910 Thomas Flyer Model K 6-70 Flyabout
1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4
In 2015, Bonhams offered 82 automobiles for sale, with 64 finding a new owner, reflecting a 78.1% sales rate. Total sales volume was $13,800,600, inclusive of buyer’s premiums. The average price per car sold was $215,634. Top sale went to a 1930 Cord Model L-29 Town Car by Murphy at $1,760,000, followed by the 1908 American Underslung Roadster at $1,738,000 and the 1932 Stutz DV32 Super Bearcat at $1,012,000. (See 2015 Bonhams Amelia Island Report).
Bonhams Amelia Island 2016 Auction Information
Date: Thursday, March 10 at 10:00am (Automobilia) and 12:00pm (Motorcars)
Location: Fernandina Beach Golf Club, 4700 Amelia Island Parkway, Fernandina Beach, Florida 32024
Public preview: March 8-10
Auction catalogues: $100, admits two to all events
General admission: $20, admits one to all events
Note: Client parking is located at the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport only. Bonhams will be operating continuous and complimentary shuttle service to and from the Bonhams Pavilion during Auction and Preview Days. Bonhams will also be operating continuous and complimentary shuttle service to and from the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island on March 10th, from 9am to 6pm.
For further information, visit Bonhams.com/Amelia.
[Source: Bonhams]
