Bonhams ‘Preserving the Automobile’, Simeone Museum, Philadelphia, PA, October 6, 2014
2014 marked Bonhams’ third foray into the delightful environs of Dr. Fred Simeone’s marvelous collection near the Philadelphia airport. If the auction isn’t sufficient to induce people to come, the chance to see the collection of competition automobiles that Dr. Simeone has put together should be. His dedication to presenting and preserving some of these specimens is connoisseurship defined.
It’s worth flying through Philadelphia to see it. A five or six hour layover is sufficient, even allowing for TSA, but an overnight is even better. And don’t believe W.C. Field’s famous quip, ‘First prize is one night in Philadelphia; second prize is two nights.’ The chance to visit Dr. Simeone’s collection turns the phrase on its head.
This was by far Bonhams best ‘Preserving the Automobile’ auction, largely on account of one lot, the ex-F.C. Deemer 1907 American Underslung 50-60hp ‘Honeymoon Roadster’. The next time some skeptic weighs into the antique car market with a dismissive, ‘Collectors of those old crocks are dying off. There’s no market for them,’ Cite the F.C. Deemer American – a car that sold at RM’s Meadow Brook auction in 2004 for $407,000 and brought $1,430,000 in Philadelphia – as the endorsement for August sale of the ex-Henry Austin Clark, Jr. Mercer Type 35R T-head Raceabout for $2,530,000. Then look at the historic photo of the American’s bare chassis and think, ‘What person who loves cars wouldn’t swoon to own and drive a piece of machinery like this?’
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[Andrew C. Newton stepped up to go to Philadelphia at the last minute to cover this sale when I was unable to go. Thank you, Andrew. As always, however, the responsibility for the content belongs to the editor.]
Bonhams Simeone Museum 2014 – Auction Report
Lot # 304 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N VC55J028422; Engine # 0011749F55F; Gypsy Red, Shoreline Beige/Red vinyl, Beige cloth inserts; Estimate $15,000 – $20,000; Unrestored original, 3- condition; Hammered Sold at $14,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $15,950. No Reserve – 265/162hp, 2-barrel, Powerglide, wheel covers, whitewall tires, factory push button radio, dash clock, grille guard, sill moldings. – Original, complete car condition in its original colors. Not the world’s best preserved example, but strong and clean both inside and out as well as underneath. From the John Middleton collection. – Attractively preserved if not pristine, this ’55 Bel Air is a great basis for restoration or continued preservation. It’s a remarkably sound value at this price, eminently usable after some mechanical attention and in one of the best and most appreciated color combinations for ’55 Bel Airs that only enhances its value. It wouldn’t have been expensive even at the high estimate.Lot # 305 1917 Packard 2-25 Twin-Six Rear Entry Brougham, Body by Chauncey Thomas & Co.; S/N 127871; Engine # 127871; Dark Red, Black hood and fenders/Black leather; Estimate $70,000 – $90,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 4- condition; Hammered Sold at $32,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $35,200. No Reserve – 424/88hp V-12, 3-speed, red artillery wheels, Universal Tire blackwalls, Boyce Motometer, driving lights, rear-mounted luggage trunk, wood-rimmed steering wheel, center-facing rear seats, pull-up front windows, top-opening windshield that slides up under the roof. – Tired older repaint. Front seat upholstery disintegrating, but the center-facing rear seats are well preserved. Tired engine bay. Looks like it hasn’t run in a long while. Cracked windshield. Complete, interesting car. Close-coupled 4-seat bodywork from Boston-based coachbuilder Chauncey Thomas & Co. was fitted by its original owner after removing it from another car. Eventually wound up in the Rick Carroll collection until 1977, then made its way to the John Middleton collection. Tall, impressively equipped, fascinating car that would benefit from light restoration to get it back on the road. – This is a fascinating piece, literally a motor-carriage, built by a respected but now obscure Boston coachbuilder. A gorgeous, erect, nickel-era brougham that is even more prestigious today than it was at the end of the Great War. The front seats will have to be re-covered but beyond that it should respond gratefully to mechanical attention and be a standout wherever it appears. At the price it is a great bargain, far more car than money.Lot # 306; 1935 Ford Model 48 Deluxe Roadster; S/N 1742350; Palm Beach Grey, Red coachline/Saddle leather; Natural cloth top; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Older restoration, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $37,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $40,700. No Reserve – 221/85hp, single Stromberg 97 carb, 3-speed, red painted wire wheels, Universal whitewall tires, enclosed rear-mounted spare wheel, dual chrome Sparton horns, rumble seat, banjo steering wheel. – Good paint overall with a few flaws. Tired chrome. Very good, lightly worn interior. From the John Middleton collection. Restored in the late 80’s for John G. Middleton, mechanically refreshed in 2007. Driven since. Not a concours car, but a very pretty and period correct car with a lot of charm. John G. Middleton collection. – No one, ever, will be reluctant to be seen driving this ’35 Ford, a rare car that hasn’t been hot rodded and has epic charm and appeal from the 30’s. It is a great buy at this price, even in its older restored and aged condition.Lot # 307 1951 Packard Patrician 400 Sedan; S/N 24524531; Dark Blue/Dark Blue cloth; Estimate $6,000 – $10,000; Unrestored original, 3- condition; Hammered Sold at $2,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $2,750. No Reserve – 327/155hp, single Carter carburetor, automatic, hubcaps and trim rings, Lester wide whitewall tires, cormorant radiator mascot, factory radio. – Crazed, dinged up old repaint everywhere. Decent brightwork. Very good interior. Dull, pitted chrome. Dirty but complete engine bay and undercarriage. From the John Middleton collection. Packard’s range-topping sedan in 1951. Well-equipped but an unfortunately dowdy car with a boring drivetrain in need of attention. Everywhere. – Disappointing applies both to Packard’s 1951 model range and to this car’s presentation, factors that left even the ‘Preserving the Automobile’ bidders at a loss to find a reason to own it. ‘Preservation’ is a great thing, but it will take a lot of ‘splaining’ to make this uninteresting Packard attractive. This is all the money it could have brought.Lot # 308 1976 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow Limousine; S/N LRE25391; Black, Black vinyl roof/Oatmeal leather; Estimate $20,000 – $30,000; Rebodied or re-created, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $25,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $27,500. No Reserve – 6751/220hp, dual SU carbs, automatic, Cooper thin whitewalls, Spirit of Ecstasy radiator mascot, tinted windows, dual mirrors, vinyl roof, Blaupunkt AM/FM stereo, P/W, dash clock, wood dash and door trim, power rear division, telephone, wet bar, TV. – Tired original paint and chrome. Strong roof vinyl. Decent interior that has seen some use. Purchased new by John Middleton as a standard Silver Shadow Saloon. Converted into a limousine fifteen years later and given sixty additional inches of bodywork. One owner and 65,939 miles from new. A fun thing to play around with and not much money, but not a car to take too seriously. – Nevertheless, a car with potential both for possible commercial use or to convey guests to and from sumptuous estates. It is, if the term ever applied, a lot of car for the money, but no more than it was worth.Lot # 309 1989 Rolls-Royce Corniche II Convertible; S/N SCAZD02A7KCX29087; Black, White coachline/Beige leather piped in Black; Beige top; Estimate $40,000 – $50,000; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $70,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $77,000. No Reserve – 6750/240hp, Bosch fuel injection, automatic, Cooper thin whitewalls, Spirit of Ecstasy radiator mascot, wood interior trim, P/W, power seats, Pioneer cassette stereo, lambs wool rugs, dash clock, books, original purchase paperwork and tools. – Used but very tidy engine bay. Very good original paint and interior. Top boot is lightly discolored. From the John Middleton collection. A one-owner car showing just 13,443 miles after twenty-five years on this earth, it’s an ideal and well-equipped Corniche II that embodies the concept of ‘preservation’. – The ‘Preserving the Automobile’ bidders rose to the bait with this cherry Corniche. No matter how well a Rolls-Royce like this could be cosmetically refreshed or even restored it could never be as choice as this, an assiduously maintained and preserved car with impeccable one-owner, low miles, provenance. Expensive, but destined to be a paragon of the period if its preservation is continued.Lot # 310 1985 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N SCAZN42A4FCX12371; Black, Black vinyl roof/Grey leather; Estimate $18,000 – $24,000; Unrestored original, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $13,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $14,300. No Reserve – 6751/245hp, Bosch multi-point fuel injection, automatic, Cooper thin whitewall tires, Spirit of Ecstasy radiator mascot, wood interior trim, P/W, push button radio. – Decent, well worn original paint with a few dings bought new by the seller’s mother. Lightly worn interior. Vinyl roof is good. Strong, honest car. From the John Middleton collection. One of just over 6,200 made. Never an elegant automobile, but today it is a lot of car for the money with condition that matches the 29,999 miles on the odometer from new. – A handsomely preserved and documented car, but neither rare nor beautiful. Even at that, though, it represents good value for money at this price and should give its new owner exceptional service at a modest (acquisition) price.Lot # 311 1973 Volvo 1800ES Estate Wagon; S/N 1836363004871; Red/Black leather; Estimate $25,000 – $30,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $20,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $22,000. No Reserve – 1986/112hp, Bosch fuel injection, automatic, Gislaved tires, Clarion cassette stereo, dash clock. – Strong repaint in the original color. Scratched up brightwork. Original and used but complete and fairly clean engine bay. Cracking weather stripping on driver’s side, good older repaint. Strong original interior. Sold new to a doctor in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and sold back to the original dealer in 1993. Maintained and used by its second owner. Low mileage for a Volvo 1800 and a fine preserved example if you can get past the automatic. – Legendary reliability added significant value to Volvo’s ‘sports car’ the P1800 and particularly to the estate wagon P1800ES. With 112hp, performance was not its long suit but 4-wheel independent suspension and disc brakes all around went a long way toward making up for the smogged engine’s moderate output. Most have been driven into the ground, and a few restorers make a good living bringing worn out examples back to life. This one won’t need that attention and was an astute acquisition at this price.Lot # 313 1921 Mercer Series 5 Sporting Touring Car; S/N Engine number; Engine # 5988; Green, Black hood, fenders and frame rails/Brown leather; No top; Estimate $120,000 – $130,000; Incomplete restoration, 4+ condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $80,000 – 298/70hp L-head four, single updraft carb, 4-speed, painted wire wheels, Lester blackwall tires, Gray & Davis headlamps, Boyce Motometer, wood top frame, wood-rimmed steering wheel, wood dash, Waltham dash clock, robe rail, rear-mounted spare. – All original other than practically new leather and interior wood. Dings and small dents in the bodywork. Titled under its engine number. Recently discovered and given some cosmetic and mechanical work. A half-finished restoration that presents strangely with a brand new interior, aged chassis and engine and heavily weathered paint. In need of further work, but all there. – An intriguing find with rare and attractive coachwork that has been made usable with some mechanical attention, new upholstery and attention to its operating details so it can be driven. More needs almost certainly will emerge as it is used, or it can be moved directly to a restoration shop to be turned into antique jewelry. Despite the estimate range it would not have been unreasonable to let it go for the reported high bid.
Bonhams Simeone Museum 2014 – Auction Report Page Two
Lot # 315 1926 Ford Model T Pickup Custom; S/N Engine number; Engine # 12206897; Dark Blue/Black vinyl; Estimate $15,000 – $20,000; Rebodied or re-created, 3- condition; Hammered Sold at $6,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $7,150. No Reserve – 177/22hp, singe Ford carb, 2-speed, artillery wheels, Acme blackwall tires, single sidemount on driver’s side, fire extinguisher, tool box. – Bad paint with crazing and orange peel. Wood is very strong. Fun little thing. Restored in the 1960s and fitted with the stake-bed wooden pickup bed. An older custom truck restoration that has aged well. Would be a fun little vehicle, but nothing to take too seriously. – And so the bidders didn’t. Considering the pleasure of driving this Model T pickup the price is a pittance and it could be repainted quickly and competently without putting the new owner in danger of going underwater.Lot # 317 1917 Cadillac Type 55 Club Roadster; S/N Engine number; Engine # 55M715; Maroon, Black fenders and frame rails/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $80,000 – $100,000; Recent restoration, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $69,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $75,900 – 315/83hp, single updraft carb, 3-speed, maroon centerlock wire wheels, Lester wide whitewall tires, rear-mounted spare wheel, dash clock. – Very good paint. Excellent interior and top. Imperfect shut lines. Really strong, well preserved car. AACA National First Prize winner. The Club Roadster body style was available only in 1917, and this is a very pretty, well restored example. – The body looks a little stodgy with the tall top erected but top-down and windshield folded it would take on a whole new aura. Combined with the quality restoration in like new condition it is a neat old car for a reasonable price.Lot # 318 1929 Lincoln Model L Brougham Town Car, Body by LeBaron; S/N 60051; Engine # 60051; Dark Red, Black fenders and running boards/Black leather in front and Grey cloth in rear; Estimate $55,000 – $65,000; Older restoration, 3- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $43,000 – 385/90hp, single Stromberg updraft carb, 3-speed, artillery wheels, Lester wide whitewall tires, dual sidemount spare wheels with black vinyl covers and mirrors, rear luggage rack, Depress Beam headlamps, frame rail step lights, landau bars, removable driver’s tendelet, padded faux cabriolet roof, wood steering wheel, glass rear division, dome courtesy light, jump seats, robe rail, rear window curtains. – A weak older repaint with lots of scratches. Decent chrome. Strong original interior. Old, cracking tires. Dirty engine bay. Has received plenty of restoration work over the years aside from the interior, and presents like a heavily used older restoration. Said to have $30,000 in recent mechanical work to recommission it after decades in storage. – An elegant example of a formal car from the late Twenties but in less than good condition and needing a lot more work than the $30K already spent on it, this Lincoln could swallow up the amount already spent on it and more before it’s ready to be driven, and multiples of that before it’s ready to be shown. The car is already under water and could have been sold for the reported high bid without regret.Lot # 323 1916 Simplex Crane Model 5 Berline, Body by Brewster; S/N 2420; Engine # 2402; Grey/Black cloth in front, Tan cloth in back; Black vinyl top; Estimate $125,000 – $150,000; Unrestored original, 4+ condition; Hammered Sold at $115,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $126,500 – 563/110hp, 4-speed, painted wood wheels, Pennsylvania tires, dual sidemount spares, rear luggage trunk, Motometer, Gray & Davis headlamps, suicide rear doors, wood-rimmed steering wheel, rear division, robe rail, silk window curtains, ashtrays in each arm rest of the rear seat, intercom between driver and rear passengers. – Paint is coming off and exposing lots of bare wood around the windows. Worn but fairly strong interior. Purchased new by power boat racer Commander Jonathan Moore, whose initials can still be found on the rear doors. Moore kept the car until 1942. A subsequent owner, Joseph Rogers, drove it on The Great Race from Anaheim to New York in the 1980’s. A regal, deeply impressive car both then and now, and remarkably well preserved for being almost a full century old. – The Simplex Crane Model 5 is renowned for its power and performance but here is laden with heavy coachwork that consumes much of the driveline’s capacity. Its condition, however, is magnificently preserved and is the essence of this auction’s ‘Preserving the Automobile’ theme. The combination of the quality of the chassis and the Brewster coachwork and the amazing preservation and originality is a wonder and worth every dollar of the price it brought, even as aged as it is.Lot # 328 1967 Austin Mini Mk II Countryman; S/N AAWB1173818A; Engine # 99H141H16951; Borodine Green/Grey vinyl; Estimate $8,000 – $12,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $7,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $8,250. No Reserve – RHD. 998/38hp, single SU carb, 4-speed, India GT tires, dual mirrors. – Originally sold in the UK. Decent but somewhat tired single repaint that was of average quality to begin with. Some scratches, orange peel and flaking around door hinges. The original Island Blue is still in the interior. Very strong exterior wood. Lumpy, uneven trim around wheels and under doors. Bits of leaves under hood and at bottom of windshield. Should have been detailed before sale. Still a lovely car for fun, just not a prime example. – Cute and fun, albeit slow with the cooking 1-liter engine, this is a reasonable price for a car anyone can enjoy owning and driving.Lot # 329 1959 MG A 1600 Supercharged Roadster; S/N GHNL72444; Engine # 166AU13186; Red, Black hardtop/Dark Red leather; Estimate $35,000 – $45,000; Modified restoration, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $26,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $28,600. No Reserve – 1588/100hp, supercharger, single SU carb, 4-speed, painted centerlock wire wheels, all-season radial tires, Maxtel driving lights, dual mirrors, wind wings, boost gauge, Moto-Lita woodrim steering wheel, Stromberg-Carlson pushbutton radio, MGB 3.91 rear axle and front disc, rear drum brakes. – Presentable paint. Very good interior. Older but presentable modified restoration that would make a fun weekend driver or vintage rally entrant but a tired car overall that shows its age and use. – The appeal of this blown MG A is let down by its condition but more than offset by the performance of the blown engine and upgraded brakes. The price it brought is a realistic compromise between the pros and cons, even well under the pre-sale estimate.Lot # 330 1963 Lincoln Continental Convertible; S/N 3Y86N412639; Black Satin/Dark Red leather; White vinyl top; Estimate $20,000 – $25,000; Unrestored original, 4+ condition; Hammered Sold at $14,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $15,400. No Reserve – 430/320hp, single Carter two-barrel carb, automatic, Hankook thin whitewalls, suicide rear doors, push button radio. – Dull, tired paint and chrome. Worn out, cracked upholstery in front and back. In the same family since 1966. The 1963 convertible is one of the most desirable Continentals, but this one is showing many signs of age. – It will cost a fortune to overcome the age and use of this Lincoln and it likely faces an unfortunate fate of further love, but neglect. It’s just too costly to give it the attention it needs without becoming financially unrealistic. The seller should be satisfied with what it brought.Lot # 333 1975 Alfa Romeo Montreal Coupe, Body by Bertone; S/N AR1428606; Engine # AR0056451070; Rosso Alfa/Tan leather with tan cloth inserts; Estimate $70,000 – $90,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $68,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $74,800 – 2593/200hp, Spica mechanical fuel injection, 5-speed, alloy wheels, Fulda blackwall tires, wood-rimmed steering wheel, Blaupunkt pushbutton radio. – Original but tidy engine bay. Good paint, but not perfect. Very lightly worn interior. Very rare car in the U.S. A lightly used car that looks like it should have fewer than the 75,840 kilometers showing on its odometer. – Honest 140mph performance from an F1 and endurance racing derived 4-cam V-8, 4-wheel independent suspension and all-around disc brakes. The body design by Marcello Gandini is typically fussy Seventies Italian, but pleasing in its proportions and shape. A realistic contemporary for Ferrari’s Dino and Maserati’s Merak but with V-8 bark, values trail its contemporaries but are rising.Lot # 334 1956 Lancia Aurelia B20S 6th Series Coupe, Body by Pinin Farina; S/N B20S1676; Engine # B20N05240; White/Grey leather; Estimate $40,000 – $60,000; Unrestored original, 4- condition; Hammered Sold at $57,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $62,700. No Reserve – 2451/112hp, single twin-choke Weber carb, wood-rimmed steering wheel, Blaupunkt pushbutton radio, locking glovebox. – Missing some brightwork but mostly complete. As much rusty metal showing as there is flaky paint. Rusty underneath but not excessively rotten. Interior is actually presentable. One of the more popular cars at the sale. Desirable small taillights. Sat in a barn in Pennsylvania from 1978 to 2013. A complete project, but a mostly complete and very collectible car. – Sometimes the appeal of a real ratty car outweighs that of more well-preserved examples, a situation well-illustrated here. Buyers are lulled into seeing what it might be, what they can do with it, how they might save it, like a dirty, matted but adorable puppy at the pound. Like the puppy, however, the reality is that this dog may have hidden tendencies that make its salvation fraught with disappointments. All credit to the well-intentioned buyer who stepped up for this project, a car that will consume its purchase price in chrome, bodywork and paint bills before the driveline and chassis are even considered.
Bonhams Simeone Museum 2014 – Auction Report Page Three
Lot # 335 1948 Tatra T87 Sedan; S/N Engine number; Engine # 222667; Silver/Red cloth; Estimate $90,000 – $1,100,000; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $95,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $104,500 – 2970/75hp, single downdraft carb, suicide front doors, banjo steering wheel, dash clock, dual wing mirrors, Delta tires, sunroof. – Small hole in the bodywork above the driver’s side door. Strong paint, chrome and interior. Titled under its engine number. Single family ownership since 1975. One of just over 3,000 built. – Featured at Pebble Beach this year, this is the time to sell Tatras. Ingeniously engineered and clothed in sleek postwar European aerodynamic bodywork by Hans Ledwinka this is a milestone design. Just don’t drive it hard into a corner where the rear-mounted V-8 and swing rear axle make even early Porsche handling look benign. If this were a Chevy or Mercury in comparable condition it would be dismissed as ‘just a car’, but it’s a Tatra.Lot # 336 1961 Porsche 356B T5 Cabriolet, Body by d’Ieteren Freres; S/N 89427; Engine # 745386; Slate Grey/Beige leather piped in Red; Dark Green cloth top; Estimate $130,000 – $160,000; Modified restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $122,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $134,750 – 1582/90hp, 5-speed, LED taillights, Harmony tires, tonneau cover, Nardi wood-rimmed steering wheel, wood shift knob. – Very good paint, chrome and interior. Well and correctly done. Somewhat recent restoration. Fully restored and given an engine from a 1966 912 with Weber carbs, electronic ignition, Carrera exhaust tips as well as a 5-speed and disc brakes. Tastefully modified, beautiful car that looks like just a gorgeous 356 Cabriolet to the casual observer. – As thoughtful as the modifications are, this is not the car most Porsche enthusiasts want. The updates are expedient, and it isn’t either a consistent restoration or a high performance ‘outlaw’. The quality of the workmanship and components are, however, evident and it should drive extremely well, attributes are appropriately reflected in the price it brought.Lot # 337 1967 Jaguar XKE SI 4.2 Roadster; S/N 1E15032; Engine # 7E12551-9 ;, /; Estimate $65,000 – $85,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $61,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $67,100 – 4235/265hp, triple SU carbs, 4-speed, open headlight “1/1/2”, chrome centerlock wire wheels, Fuzion blackwall tires, dual mirrors, wood-rimmed steering wheel, JVC cassette stereo. – Tired, dull old repaint with rock chips on the nose and small dents on the right front and left rear. Worn, cracking upholstery and weather stripping. Honest and complete car, but nothing special and without much eyeball. – This was a $35,000 car not so long ago, and it deserves to be again. In the current fad for XKEs, however, this is an appropriate price for this car’s specification and condition. It’s a good time to sell.Lot # 338 1929 Kissel Model 8-95 White Eagle Speedster; S/N 951139; Engine # 951258; Cream, Light Green fenders/Dark Green leather; Estimate $70,000 – $90,000; Older restoration, 3- condition; Hammered Sold at $61,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $67,100 – 246/95hp, single updraft carb, 3-speed, wire wheels, Bedford whitewall tires, dual sidemount spares, Ryan-Lite headlamps, central driving light, folding windscreen, Universal Nite Owl taillight, wood steering wheel, wood dash. – Cracking paint around panels. Worn interior. Heavily used engine bay. Paint on the odometer is flaking off behind the glass. Quarter sized paint chip on rear. Had a Ford engine at one point, but is currently fitted with a correct Kissel engine. Added to the Canton Classic Car Museum in 1980. Represented as one of three White Eagle Speedsters and the only 8-95 to survive. A CCCA Full Classic (TM) that would make a fine tour car as is. – This is one of the most elaborate radiator shells every produced, with a full-width debossed eagle emblem of unusual distinction. The cutdown door rumble seat bodywork and folding windshield are quintessential Roaring Twenties, with performance to match its sporty style. Largely overlooked by collectors, it offers style, performance and entre to prestigious events for a modest price, even with its old and now honestly patinated restoration.Lot # 339 1928 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Ascot Tourer, Body by Peter Thomas; S/N 70KR; Engine # VJ65; Cream, Red fenders and on top of hood/Dark red leather; Tan cloth top; Estimate $100,000 – $125,000; Older restoration, 3- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $75,000 – RHD. 7672/108hp, single dual-throat carb, painted wire wheels, Lester wide whitewall tires, dual sidemount spares, dual windshields, Spirit of Ecstasy radiator mascot, Lucas headlamps, Lucas King of the Road central driving light, Raydyot spotlights, wind wings, rear-mounted luggage trunk, wood top frame. – Very weak paint with some overspray, obvious touch ups and big scratches. Dull, pitted chrome. Worn interior, significantly more so in the front. In the collection of the Canton Classic Car Museum since 1978. Started life with a Hooper body and rebodied by Peter Thomas in the style of an Ascot Tourer during the 1960s. Restored in the early 1980s and it presents that way. A fun tour car without the hefty price tag of a genuine Ascot Tourer. – And without the appeal, either, having neither Brewster’s renowned coachwork nor the American Rolls-Royce refinements suited to the U.S. market. That makes its price here appropriate and a sound value for the events to which it will admit its new owner.Lot # 340 1932 Cadillac 452-B V-16 5-Passenger Sedan, Body by Fleetwood; S/N 1400238; Engine # 1400238; Viceroy Maroon, Dark Maroon fenders/Beige broadcloth; Estimate $175,000 – $200,000; Recent restoration, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $165,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $181,500 – 452/165hp, dual Detroit carbs, 3-speed, wire wheels, Lester wide whitewall tires, dual enclosed sidemounts with mirrors, Goddess radiator mascot, Supersafe headlamps, dual chrome horns, rear trunk rack, suicide rear doors, rear quarter window curtains, dash clock front and rear. – Excellent paint and chrome. Very good interior overall, but with a couple of small tears in the upholstery. One of just 296 1932 V-16 Cadillacs. Ordered new in Boston. Acquired by the Canton Classic Car Museum in 2007. Restoration started shortly thereafter and was just recently completed. A fresh, gorgeous sixteen cylinder Cadillac and a CCCA Full Classic (TM) that leaves nothing to be desired. – By any standard a wonderful automobile and a sound value at the price it brought here, just a little under the pre-sale estimate but enough to show the bidders in Philadelphia recognized the opportunity they had been given.Lot # 341 1907 American Underslung 50/60hp Roadster; Engine # 1402; Burgundy, Black accent/Black leather; Estimate $900,000 – $1,300,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $1,300,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,430,000 – RHD. Dual ignition 477 cubic inch L-head 50/60hp inline four, 4-speed, White tires, rear brakes, Royal spotlight on cowl, Solar headlights, luggage trunk, dual rear spares. – Known as ‘The Honeymoon Roadster on account of surviving photos of the original owner, F.C. Deemer, and his bride on their honeymoon with it. Burned in a garage fire while on the honeymoon trip and stored by the original owner and his sons until restoration by Walter Seeley in 1968 along with three other of Deemer’s Americans using drawings and some parts from F.C. Tone, the American’s original designer. Bought by Dick Teague in 1971, then by William Haines in 1986. A recently freshened quality restoration showing some age. A magnificent automobile. – Bought at RM’s Meadow Brook auction in 2004 for $407,000 with subsequent attention to the cosmetics and details to keep it show ready without needing to redo Walter Seeley’s marvelous old restoration, now almost half a century old. A magnificent automobile in the same category as a Mercer T-head or original Stutz Bearcat, the essence of a ‘sports car’ as it was conceived in America in the early 20th century and both much more rare and technically intriguing than either of its contemporaries. This is a landmark transaction for a lot of money, but fully deserved both by the quality of the car, its performance and its rarity. (The photo is not of the actual sale car, it’s an American publicity photo of the bare Roadster chassis. The details are so clear and the essence of being ‘underslung’ so apparent that it was impossible to resist. Courtesy of Bonhams.)Lot # 345 1925 Locomobile Model 48 Sportif; S/N 19131; Engine # 19139; Dark Green, Black fenders/Black vinyl; White cloth top; Estimate $90,000 – $120,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $85,000 – 525/103hp, single carb, 4-speed, artillery wheels, Lancaster blackwall tires, two rear-mounted spares, Boyce Motometer, Bausch & Lomb headlamps, dual windshields, wood top frame, folding footrest. – Decent paint. Decent but worn interior, same for the top. Plenty worn, but complete. Well preserved and presentable example of Roaring Twenties luxury. – Sold at Bonhams’ Paine sale in 2008 for $161,000 and at Bonhams’ Quail Lodge sale last year for $165,000. What transpired to make it estimate for barely half of its prior transactions, after significant work following its sale at the Paine auction is unclear. It is a magnificent automobile of the highest quality, impressively maintained and preserved for many years and would be a serious bargain at the low estimate.Lot # 346 1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Piccadilly Roadster, Body by Merrimac; S/N S454FL; Engine # 20546; Blue, Black fenders/Dark Red leather; Tan cloth top; Estimate $200,000 – $250,000; Older restoration, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $200,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $220,000 – 452/108hp, single updraft carb, 3-speed with later Hone overdrive, black wire wheels, Lester wide whitewall tires, dual sidemount spares, Spirit of Ecstasy radiator mascot, spotlights, tool box in frame rail, wood top frame, rumble seat. – Good paint overall but with some big scratches and cracks on fenders. Discolored top. Very good but lightly worn interior. Very clean engine bay. Delivered new to New Hampshire with Brewster’s Warwick Limousine coachwork. Restored in the early 1960s by Frank Cooke and given sportier Piccadilly bodywork from chassis S178ML. Was an award winner in the ’60s, and now presents like the older but well kept restoration that it is, with significant mechanical work since 2006. – Sold at Bonhams’ Frank Cooke sale in 2006 for $172,000. With the work it has had since then it is an eminently sound value and a great tour car at this price. The buyer recognized both the excellent ex-Frank Cooke provenance and the potential for enjoyable ownership to make an astute acquisition.Lot # 347 1952 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith Touring Limousine, Body by H.J. Mulliner; S/N W0F26; Engine # W25F; Black/Black leather; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $48,000 – RHD. 4566/125hp, 4-speed, wide whitewall tires, cutaway rear fender skirts, dual wing mirrors, Spirit of Ecstasy radiator mascot, Lucas headlamps, Lucas driving lights, dip beam light, rear suicide doors, wood interior trim, dome courtesy light, fold-out tables, push button radio, dash clock. – Tired paint with a few big scratches and touch ups. Imperfect gaps. Decent chrome. Lightly worn interior. One of 75 such examples from H.J. Mulliner. Originally meant for display at Earls Court in 1951. Brought to the US in 1979 and painted black shortly after, represented as 78,894 miles from new. Mechanically overhauled last year. Unattractive and aged. – It is not fair to call a Rolls-Royce ‘just a car’, particularly a Silver Wraith with H.J. Mulliner coachwork, but this is as close as it gets and the offered amount is sufficient for the Wraith’s condition.
Bonhams Simeone Museum 2014 – Auction Report Page Four
Lot # 349 1947 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible; S/N Engine number; Engine # 8421976; Black/Burgundy leather; Maroon cloth top; Estimate $75,000 – $95,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $60,000 – 331/160hp, dual Carter downdraft carbs, automatic, chrome wheel discs, Coker Classic whitewalls, rear fender skirts, remote spotlight, P/W, power top, original radio, dash clock. – Presentable but older repaint. Decent brightwork. Strong original dash. Very good newer upholstery and top. A good driver with pretty insides but relatively weak paint and brightwork. Titled on its engine number. A largely original car with some cosmetic freshening, but no stunner. – The reported high bid is sufficient to have seen this Cadillac change hands. It is a pleasing, largely original, car but not exceptional and will wander aimlessly through future venues looking for money than this unless the vendor spends irrational money making it better.Lot # 350 1952 MG TD Roadster; S/N TD16657; Engine # XPAGTD217103; White/Green leather; Tan cloth top; Estimate $25,000 – $30,000; Older restoration, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $17,273 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $19,000. No Reserve – 1250/55hp, dual SU carbs, 4-speed, Capital Metric radial blackwall tires, folding windscreen, wind wings, Moss driving lights, rear-mounted spare wheel, luggage rack, dual wing mirrors, wood dash. – Good paint and chrome. Worn interior and top. An average, older restoration notable for nothing. A pretty driver finished in a pretty color combination. – An ordinary TD bought for ordinary money.Lot # 351 1922 Peerless V8 Opera Coupe; S/N 271399; Blue, Black fenders and roof/Grey cloth; Estimate $40,000 – $60,000; Older restoration, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $26,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $28,600 – 332/80hp, 3-speed, rear-mounted spare tire with black vinyl cover, Boyce Motometer, cowl lights, wood steering wheel, dome courtesy light, pull-down curtain on rear windows. – Presentable older repaint. Tired but original interior, especially tired on the door panels. Very clean engine bay. New tires. A solid car overall and represented as fully sorted mechanically. – This could, on the basis of the price it brought, be a Model T Tudor, but it bought an 80hp V-8 Peerless that can be toured proudly and with confidence at highway speeds. It is an exceptional value and entre to many events and tours for modest money, a good value.Lot # 352 1936 Cord 810 Westchester Sedan; S/N 1383A; Engine # FB2056; Beige/Maroon cloth piped in Beige leather; Estimate $70,000 – $90,000; Older restoration, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $54,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $59,400 – 289/125hp, single Stromberg carb, 4-speed pre-selector, BF Goodrich Long Trail T/A blackwall tires, suicide front doors, dash clock. – Imperfect paint with some dings and a couple of cracks. Imperfect gaps. Scratched window glass. Presentable, driver quality example of the increasingly collectible Westchester sedan. – The difference between a Westchester and Beverly? The former has a full width rear seat, the latter has armchair rear seats. One of the most distinctive automobiles of the Thirties, Gordon Buehrig’s adaption of the Baby Duesenberg to the front wheel drive Cord 810/812 front wheel drive chassis is timeless. A timeless automobile, well sorted by a Cord expert as this one way, is a sound value at this price.Lot # 353 1925 Stanley Model SV 252A Touring; S/N 25007; Engine # V1006; Black/Black leather; Black top; Estimate $70,000 – $90,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 4 condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $58,000 – 2-cylinder steam engine, artillery wheels, Lester wide whitewall tires, rear-mounted spare tire, CM Hall headlamps. – Ripped upholstery with stuffing coming out. Scratched up, tired paint. Cracked tires. Claimed to be the only surviving unrestored 1925 touring car and believed to be a prototype built in 1924 and bodied as a standard car in 1925. Maintained, serviced and lightly modified mechanically over the years but never restored. – The end of the Stanley brothers’ steam car history, and quite extraordinary for its history, provenance and preservation with only a few utilitarian modifications and updates. Is it worth more than this? The buyers here in Philadelphia didn’t think so, but in another venue that might not be the case.Lot # 354 1992 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce Convertible; S/N ZARBB32N2N7002351; Verde Inglese/Tan leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $12,000 – $18,000; Unrestored original, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $10,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $11,550. No Reserve – 1962/120hp, fuel injection, 5-speed, alloy wheels, Pirelli tires, tan leather top boot, factory cassette stereo. – Weak original paint. Good, lightly worn interior. Series 4 car that is among the last Spiders imported to the US. Owned by a teacher until 2002, when it was sold to the consignor. Solid example, but basically just a used car. – What’s to like about this Alfa, aside from its originality and 23,359 miles? The Bosch fuel injection that is orders of magnitude more reliable and serviceable than earlier Alfa Spider’s Spica injection (usually replaced in frustration by Spanish-built Weber carbs.) It coulda brought the low estimate without being expensive.Lot # 355 1953 Nash-Healey Le Mans Coupe, Body by Pinin Farina; S/N N3016; Engine # NHA1239; Red primer/Dark Red leather; Estimate $20,000 – $30,000; Unrestored original, 4- condition; Hammered Sold at $30,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $33,000. No Reserve – 252/140hp, twin Carter carbs, side outlet exhaust, 3-speed with overdrive, whitewalls in front, blackwalls in rear, push button radio, locking glovebox. – Missing shift knob. The entire rim of the steering wheel is missing. Rotted out carpets. Door panels falling apart. All four wheels are different colors. Cracked windshield and front quarter windows. Missing windshield wipers. Dirty but at least complete engine bay. Missing grille, front bumper, rear bumper and most of the brightwork. A real mess of a car. Extensive restoration ahead with lots of hard to find parts. – This Nash-Healey might be worth $150,000 restored better than new, but it will take all the difference between the price paid here and that to bring it to its ultimate value. This is an optimistic price.Lot # 356 1969 Jaguar XKE SII 2+2; S/N 1R41032BW; Engine # 7R361649; Warwick Grey/Red leather; Estimate $18,000 – $22,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $20,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $22,550. No Reserve – 4235/265hp, automatic, wire wheels, Michelin red line tires, Becker Mexico TR radio, dash clock. – Dent on the front left and big scratch on the right front. Rock chips on the nose. Decent paint otherwise. Tired upholstery with big rip in the driver’s seat. Imperfect gaps. One repaint in the 1970s, but otherwise original. As an automatic, 2+2 XKE coupe, this is the most affordable way to get into an E-Type. – Probably the least desirable E-type, but affordable. The price it brought reflects the somewhat irrational craze for XKEs currently running its course. A good time to sell.Lot # 357 1966 Land Rover 88 Series IIA Utility; S/N 24417545B; Green/Black vinyl; Estimate $8,000 – $12,000; Unrestored original, 4 condition; Hammered Sold at $6,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $7,150. No Reserve – 2250/77hp, 4-speed with 2-speed transfer case, BF Goodrich All Terrain tires, hood-mounted spare wheel, Alpine windows with sunshield, ferry roof, auxiliary fuel can mounted on rear, banjo steering wheel. – Missing driver’s side mirror. Rusty fasteners. Disintegrating weather stripping. Tired paint. Dirty interior. Dirtier engine bay and undercarriage. Stored for the last ten years and in need of full recommissioning. One of more than a few old Land Rovers that time has not been kind to. – The body is largely sound, which is an accomplishment for an old Land Rover, and commends itself to Land Rover restorers. Bought at a quarter of the price of a similar Land Cruiser, it represents a good value with potential either for restoration or for mud-plugging.Lot # 358 1926 Renault NN Rumble Seat Roadster; S/N 53487; White, Black fenders/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $5,000 – $10,000; Unrestored original, 4- condition; Hammered Sold at $1,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,100. No Reserve – RHD. 951cc/52hp, 3-speed, Michelin whitewall tires, rumble seat, Jaeger dash clock. – Just falling apart as it sits. Top, interior, floor boards, tires and undercarriage are all rotten and filthy. Long stored and neglected, it’s a small car but a huge project. – More than a golf cart, and bought for less than one, too. ‘Simple’ describes the Renault, but not the process of restoring it from decrepitude. The seller could not have hoped for more, although Bonhams may have expected more than $100 in buyer’s premium for the time on the block.
“Buyers are lulled into seeing what it might be, what they can do with it, how they might save it, like a dirty, matted but adorable puppy at the pound. Like the puppy, however, the reality is that this dog may have hidden tendencies that make its salvation fraught with disappointments.” I wish more writers had your gift for metaphor.
Instead of Mr. Carey being adept with metaphor, I would prefer he would stick to the subject matter, rather than inject his personal opinion. He has failed to remember that there was a person trying to sell this vehicle at this auction and his negative comments are not helpful for that process, as anyone, now or in the future, due to the permanency of the internet, will able to read his negative comments. My concern is that there are people out there, given that Sports Car Digest is a respectable journal, who will actually agree with his biased opinion, rather than formulate their own.
The 1952 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith Touring Limousine w/ H.J.Mulliner Coachwork was a “bargain” in my opinion. The description states the vehicle was mechanically re-commissioned by the respected firm, The Frawley Company, at a cost to it’s owner of $30,000- yes the paint was tired but serviceable, while being extremely original, complete and not abused- Only 75 of these Special Touring Limousines were purported to made by Mulliner which would certainly put it in the “rare” class and who knows how still exist in this configuration, with RHD, manual transmission, SWB and electrical division window, complete with all it’s tools and original radio. Fresh paint and a refreshed interior would make a nice, relatively inexpensive upgrade, to an already extremely reliable, nice touring vehicle, suitable for club events. It takes a certain type of person to appreciate this vehicle’s charm, collectability and future investment potential. Sorry but Mr. Carey but I disagree with your assessment. I believe future appreciation of the Rolls Royce marque will bear me out.
In addition to my comments about the 1952 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith by Mulliner- This Mulliner design is generally considered by most RR/B enthusiasts to be one of the most attractive on the SWB chassis. By Mr. Carey calling it “aged and unattractive”, he is only revealing his own ignorance and should perhaps stick to his specialty, which appears to be racing cars. After all, these ARE cars from another era; and era of grace, hand workmanship, all qualities that are sorely missed, something Mr. Carey has perhaps overlooked.
Mr. Stone is the Silver Wraith’s consignor, with a vested interest that is apparent from his bias.
Sorry, that should not be “Anonymous”. I forgot to fill in the details.
Mr. Carey: Yes, true I am the consigner, but even if I wasn’t, I would feel it my duty, as a fan of Rolls Royce products ,especially from this era, to tell you you that you need to do more research ,before you lambast this offering. Who says one can’t disagree with a reviewer of one’s own car, especially when that reviewer is known to be an expert on racing cars and not the Rolls Royce marque?