The inaugural Bonhams Scottsdale auction was staged January 19th, 2012 at the Westin Kierland Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona, resulting in $5.7 million in sales and a 60% sell-through rate.
Bonhams assembled 67 automobiles for their first Arizona Auction Week sale, with a 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet C taking home the top result at $667,000. Offered from a New York collection where it had resided for more than 40 years, the car will return to continental Europe for the first time since it was built.
The cover lot of the 2012 Bonhams Scottsdale sale was the Marlene Dietrich 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Transformable Phaeton, which made its top estimate at $524,000. Other notable sales included the 1947 Delahaye 135M 3-Position Drophead Coupe that sold for $472,500, the 1919 Stutz “Bearcat” Special that made $137,000, 1967 Jaguar E-Type 4.2-Liter Series 1 Roadster that brought $144,500 and the 1923 Rolls-Royce 20hp that sold for $71,370 over its high estimate of $60,000.
Malcolm Barber, CEO of Bonhams Group, commented, “We are delighted with the results of this multi-million-dollar auction and the reception we received in Scottsdale. There was universal praise for the venue and the selection on offer, and we will definitely be back next January.”
A busy room saw over 93% of automobilia lots selling with 100% of the David E. Davis Jr. Collection sold. Strong prices were paid for many Davis lots including a world auction record for a 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Pennant at $10,625 and $5,250 for a futuristic painting by Bruce McCall entitled “Modern Times.”
Bonhams Scottsdale 2012 – Top Ten Auction Results
1. 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet C – $667,000
2. 1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Transformal Phaeton – $524,000
3. 1947 Delahaye 135M three-position DHC – $474,500
4. 1924 Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8 Torpedo Phaeton – $447,000
5. 1966 Aston Martin DB6 Vantage Saloon – $298,500
6. 1931 Cord L-29 LaGrande Speedster – $290,800
7. 1956 AC Ace Bristol Roadster – $221,500
8. 1923 Duesenberg Model A Touring – $183,000
9. 1932 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Sedanca de Ville – $177,500
10. 1967 Jaguar E-Type 4.2-Liter Series 1 Roadster – $144,500
For complete auction results, visit www.bonhams.com/scottsdale.
[Source: Bonhams]
