The Bonhams Amelia Island 2017 auction was held Thursday, March 9 at the Fernandina Beach Golf Club on Amelia Island, Florida, resulting in nearly $10.2 million in total sales and an 87 percent sell-through rate. A selection of more than 85 automobiles were offered at Bonhams’ 3rd annual sale held during the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Week.
“Fernandina Beach has been very welcoming to us and we’re pleased to have raised funds once again for local charitable causes,” said Rupert Banner, Group Motoring Director and one of the auctioneers for the sale. “This year was an example of another good sale. We provided a strong offering of premium automobiles across a broad spectrum of tastes and the results were very positive. What we saw was increased interest and movement in the middle of the market and we feel this is a healthy indicator for our industry and for enthusiasts worldwide.”
The top result at Bonhams’ 2017 Amelia Island sale went to the competition-designed 1955 Ferrari 250 Europa GT Alloy, one of two built with Pinin Farina coachwork, purchased by a European collector for $2,227,500. Other highlights included the 1911 Pierce-Arrow Model 48 Touring, the epitome of Brass Era status, that sold for $550,000, while the 1961 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Roadster – one of the earliest known examples, made $326,700. The 1986 Lamborghini Countach 5000 S Quattrovalvole was bought for $335,500 by an American enthusiast, and the 1954 Arnolt-Bristol Prototype Roadster achieved $324,500.
Additionally, some new world auction records were set by Bonhams for various marques and models, including the 1904 Knox Tudor, 1913 Lancia Theta Runabout, 1987 BMW M6 Coupe and 1953 Sunbeam Talbot Alpine Roadster.
Brian Rabold, Vice President of Valuation Services for Hagerty, commented, “Compared to their 2016 sale, Bonhams totals were down considerably ($17.7M ) due to a lack of activity at the top end of the market. They were successful on their top offering (Ferrari Europa for $2.2M) but missed on their next three biggest cars when they were on the block. For comparison’s sake, Bonhams had four sales exceeding the million dollar point during their 2016 Amelia Island auction totaling around $16.5M, which was 60% of last years total.”
Bonhams Amelia Island 2017 – Top Ten Auction Results
1. 1955 Ferrari 250 GT Europa Coupe – $2,227,500
2. 1911 Pierce-Arrow Model 48 Touring – $550,000
3. 1986 Lamborghini Countach LP5000 Quattrovalvole – $335,500
4. 1961 Jaguar E-Type Series I 3.8 ‘Flat Floor’ Roadster – $326,700
5. 1954 Arnolt-Bristol Bolide Roadster – $324,500
6. 1904 Knox 16/18HP Touring – $292,600
7. 1951 Allard J2 Roadster – $275,000
8. 1989 Aston Martin V8 Volante Convertible – $247,500
8. 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera Speedster – $247,500
8. 1968 Lamborghini Islero 400 GT – $247,500
For complete results, visit Bonhams.com/Amelia.
Jakob Greisen, Vice President of Bonhams U.S. Motoring, added, “By the time we finish the first quarter of 2017 the Bonhams Motoring Team will have conducted five auctions in four countries and our healthy sell-through rate to date demonstrates Bonhams’ on-target position and an active market at all levels.”
[Source: Bonhams; photo: Peter Singhof]
