Tag: auction

The World’s Most Flirtatious Car

Off-the-wall 24-carat gold 1958 Austin Healey that would appeal to Liberace to be sold at auction in New York with an estimate of £420,000

A truly bonkers one-off 1958 Austin-Healey 100-Six that was given the monikers ‘Goldie’ and ‘The Golden Child’ is to be sold at auction in December.

For sale for 165% less than it was offered for in 2013 but 781% more than it was valued at in 1958, ‘Goldie’ is capable of speeds of upto 120 miles per hour but what makes her unique is that all brightwork – including the trimming washers and screws, wire wheels, disc brakes, bumpers and instruments – are plated in 24-carat gold.

The car’s interior is trimmed in champagne Connolly kid leather and champagne diadem mink by London furrier Lorna Doon Snow adorn the inserts and back squabs of the bucket seats and the key ring comes complete with a solid-gold scale replica of the car itself.

The brainchild of Donald Healey’s then PR manager, Ken Gregory, in association with the Daily Express’s then motoring correspondent, Basil Cardew, ‘Goldie’ was the show-stopping car exhibited at the entrance to the 1958 London Motor Show at Earl’s Court. She reportedly wowed audiences and no doubt would have been dubbed a ‘dream machine’ by the motoring world’s most extravagant doyenne, Lady Docker.

Sold immediately to the paper the Daily Express dedicated a page to the promotion of a reader competition to win ‘Goldie’ on 22^nd October 1958. Of her, they remarked:

“[This is] the world’s most flirtatious car… The Daily Express has bought it… You can win it. She’s elegant… she wears mink… and she adores champagne. No, not the girl… the car!”

“The real stuff… The most sumptuous… A vintage squirt… The biggest sensation of the [Motor Show at Earl’s Court]… Yes, you could call it the car that was born with a golden spoon in its mouth!”

“In the whole of the land there isn’t anything to match it.”

Surprisingly, the winner of the competition decided to sell the vehicle immediately. She was first road-registered in February 1959 and then passed through various owners until being completely restored by Bruce and Inan Phillips of Healey Surgeons of Washington, D.C. between 1983 and 1986.

Speaking of what the current marketing catalogue entry describes as “the most spectacular Austin Healey ever produced,” Inan Phillips is said to have remarked: “[‘Goldie’ was] one fantastic running and driving car… The smoothest driving Austin Healey we’ve ever owned.”

In time sold to a wealthy businessman and Jeep restorer named Dennis Collins from Wylie, Texas, ‘Goldie’ was offered for sale first on eBay and then at auction in Houston, Texas for £758,000 in 2013 and 2014. It appears no sale went through and now an estimate of £265,000 to £417,000 has been set for this striking creation.

RM Sotheby’s will sell ‘Goldie’ at their annual New York ‘Icons’ sale on 6^th December. They list the vehicle as being “without reserve.” If only Liberace were still around to put in a bid.

‘Goldie’ – The Numbers

December 2017 – Offered for sale at auction with no reserve and an estimate of £265,000 to £417,000 ($350,000 to $550,000, €300,000 to €471,000 or درهم1.3 million to درهم2 million) in New York.

January 2014 – Offered for sale with a ‘buy-it-now’ price of £758,000 ($1 million, €857,000 or درهم3.7 million) on eBay.

March 2013 – Offered for sale for £758,000 ($1 million, €857,000 or درهم3.7 million) in Houston, Texas by Collins Brothers Jeep owner Dennis Collins.

October 1958 – Valued at £4,000 (the equivalent of £86,000, $113,000, €97,000 or درهم417,000 today) prior to being sold to the Daily Express and offered in a reader competition in London.

November 12, 2017
A Lot for Le Mans

Racing suit and helmet worn by Steve McQueen in ‘Le Mans’ to be sold for the staggering sum of £300,000 to £380,000

A racing suit and helmet worn by Steve McQueen in Le Mans is to be sold by RM Sotheby’s at their ‘Icons’ sale in New York on 6^th December.

Directed by Lee H. Katzin and produced by Jack N. Reedish, the 106-minute the 1971 fictional Indie film cost some £5.8 million ($7.6 million, €6.5 million or درهم27.9 million) to make but surprisingly took just £4.2 million ($5.5 million, €4.7 million or درهم20.2 million) at the North American box office.

The suit will be offered with no reserve with an estimate of £303,000 to £380,000 ($400,000 to $500,000, €344,000 to €430,000 or درهم1.5 million to درهم1.8 million).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nnu19N-7T3k

October 30, 2017
Tax in Post

Reliant Regal 3-wheeler used in the BBC’s ‘Only Fools and Horses’ in Monaco in 2002 to be offered for sale at auction

A 1968 Reliant Regal 3-wheeler used in the 2002 ‘If only they could see us now’ episode of the hit BBC comedy series Only Fools and Horses is to be sold at auction in November.

The distinctive yellow car, registration ‘BWC 94F’ was used for filming in Monaco and features a tiger skin print interior and a remote control key start which can be operated from up to 50 metres away. It also has a smoke machine that emits smoke from the exhaust when a valve is opened on the dashboard, rubber mats with ‘Del Boy’ on the drivers side, air horns, a suitcase on the roof and ‘Rodney’ on the passenger side and inflatable dolls that show up in the back window.

Sold last by Bonhams in 2008, the eccentric vehicle has amazingly covered a total of 71,778 miles and even participated in the London to Brighton rally in 2001 and 2004. The 598cc car is to be offered by Silverstone Auctions at their NEC Classic Motor Show sale on 11^th and 12^th November with no reserve. Lovely jubbly.

October 24, 2017
Profit from Focus

Six year old Ford to be sold for nearly double its price in 2011; it has just 18 miles on the clock

A zippy 2011 Ford Focus RS with just 18 miles on the clock is to be sold at auction next month for nearly double what it cost new.

The ‘Ultimate Green’ with a green sports fabric interior vehicle – which certainly would even stand out in a Tesco car park – comes with a 2.5-litre, 5-cylinder engine and is capable of 0-60 miles per hour in just 4.7 seconds. It features a front-wheel drivetrain, 19-inch wheels and what are described as “a wing that would embarrass a Porsche Turbo.”

Surprisingly serviced four times despite its low mileage, the Focus is presented in “unwrapped” condition: The radio aerial has never been fitted, the wheel centres have never been put on and the seats still have their delivery plastic covers in place.

Silverstone Auctions have set an estimate of £38,000 to £44,000 ($50,000 to $58,000, €43,000 to €49,000 or درهم186,000 to درهم215,000) and will sell what they call a “remarkable little car” at their NEC Classic Motor Show Sale on 11^th and 12^th November.

October 14, 2017
A Mammoth Merc

Limousine, convertible and off-roader combined created by Mercedes-Maybach to be sold for charity

One of just ninety-nine examples made, a brand new Mercedes-Maybach G650 V12 landaulet is to be auctioned in October.

Offered to benefit the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and given by Daimler AG, the 17.5-foot long, four-seater vehicle is intended as a “unique combination of luxurious chauffeur-driven limousine and off-roader” and features a glass partition to separate the driver and their passengers. It has an electric fabric top, electric side-steps, electrically adjustable rear seats with a massage function, leather tables large enough for laptops and two 10-inch high resolution media display units.

Of the 6-litre car, Gunnar Güthenke, manager of Mercedes-Benz G GmbH, commented:

“Today fascination with the G-Class is more prevalent than ever. It is a sought-after vehicle as it is forever reinventing itself – and yet remains true to its origins. It was and always will be unmistakably a G-Class, while at the same time offering plenty of opportunities for individual wishes. Our exclusive Landaulet model is the best example of this.”

Bonhams will sell the car with no reserve at their Zoute Sale in Knokke-Heist, Belgium on 6^th October.

Update: Sold for £1.1 million ($1.4 million, €1.2 million or درهم5.3 million)

September 30, 2017
Hammering Harris

Two works by paedophile Rolf Harris withdrawn from auction whilst one of a baby remains for sale online

In the wake of his conviction in 2014 for abusing women and girls as young as 8 years old, many of the frankly crap paintings by the repugnant monster Rolf Harris were burnt by those who’d bought them.

On Saturday, however, the Sunderland Echo revealed that an auction house in East Boldon, Tyne & Wear had listed two works by the evil jailbird and were due to sell them today with estimates of just £20 to £40 and £50 to £80.

In response to questions on what made the convicted paedophile Harris’ works worthwhile to auction and who the likely buyer would be from The Steeple Times, Boldon Auctions did not answer. A spokesman for the firm simply remarked: “No, sorry, withdrawn and collected by client” and refused to comment further.

Elsewhere, on the Preloved.co.uk website, an especially inappropriate signed work by Harris is being marketed. Titled ‘Innocence’, the signed print is one of 695 and shows an image of a baby. Why on earth anyone would want such on their wall is beyond comprehension.

September 20, 2017
A Cheap Cottage

Detached Grade II listed Georgian cottage in London, E13 for sale for just £180,000

What could be one of London’s cheapest detached Georgian houses is headed to auction.

Built in 1836 as the gate lodge to a now demolished mansion known as Bedfords and later The Willows, Grade II listed Willow Lodge in Willow Grove, Plaistow, E13 was itself originally thatched but now has a slate roof.

The rendered and whitewashed single storey freehold cottage, which provides one reception room, a kitchen, one bedroom and a bathroom, looks idyllic in close-up pictures but actually, sadly, adjoins a rather grim looking 1950s/1960s housing estate to the rear and a playground named the Valetta Grove open space to the front. It comes with a private rear garden and is described as “in need of modernisation.”

Plaistow London Underground Station is just two minutes away and a guide price of £180,000+ ($237,000+, €198,000+ or درهم871,000+) has been set by auctioneers Savills. They will sell the property on Monday 25^th September at the Marriott Hotel in Grosvenor Square, Mayfair, W1.

September 11, 2017
Gone with the Joseffs

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Vivien Leigh’s necklace and Clark Gable’s cigarette case from ‘Gone with the Wind’ to be sold at auction in Los Angeles

Gone with the Wind is undoubtedly one of the all-time classic films. It took in excess of $390 million at the box office, won an astonishing eight Academy Awards in 1940 and propelled the careers of both Clark Gable (Rhett Butler) and Vivien Leigh (Scarlett O’Hara) into the stratosphere.

Now, in November in California, a diamond and amethyst necklace worn by Leigh in the film will be sold at auction with an estimate of £45,000 to £61,000 ($60,000 to $80,000, €50,000 to €66,000 or درهم220,000 to درهم294,000) alongside a cigarette case used by Gable (estimate: £30,000 to £45,000, $40,000 to $60,000, €33,000 to €50,000 or درهم147,000 to درهم220,000).

Eugene Joseff pictured in the crown and sceptre worn by Ronald Colman in “The Prisoner of Zenda” (1937) and Vivien Leigh in Joseff with Clark Gable in “Gone with the Wind” (1939)

This pair of Gone with the Wind memorabilia, which will be sold by Julien’s Auctions, forms part of a 500-piece collection from the vault of Eugene Joseff (1905 – 1948), an advertising executive turned jeweller to Hollywood’s superstars. Joseff’s primary success stemmed from the fact he developed a matte metal finish for his jewellery that minimised the glare from the strong studio lights and thus everyone from Marlene Dietrich to Greta Garbo and Marilyn Monroe wore his pieces. Though this talented designer tragically died in a plane crash, his family continue to operate the firm Joseff of Hollywood and aside from making jewellery now also produce aerospace castings for radar, guided missiles, computers, and electro-mechanical systems.

Of the collection, Martin Nolan of Julien’s Auctions commented:

“The Joseff Collection that has been consigned to Julien’s Auctions is the single most important collection of film-worn jewellery ever to come to the market. This historic cache, stored in a Hollywood warehouse for decades is the very stuff of Hollywood history and legend. This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to own a piece of film history that was designed and manufactured to dazzle, as each piece had to compete with the wearer, the most beautiful women in the world.”

Julien’s Auctions will sell the collection on 17^th and 18^th November at their Los Angeles Gallery.

The Vivien Leigh necklace by Eugene Joseff

The Clark Gable cigarette case by Eugene Joseff

At a slightly different point but nevertheless cut, here are three jewelry items to consider if you’re looking for gift ideas…
Here are 3 we found that are cute and affordable:
1) Gorgeous ring for Mum? – this ring for Mum will make her eyes light up on Mother’s Day, or just about any other day for that matter. A casual, versatile ring that can be worn with just about anything, day or night, it’s a perfect complement to any outfit or occasion.
2) Need a pretty gift for a dog lover? – This cute puppy paw necklace is a pet-friendly addition for any puppy lover, young or old. Whether it’s a birthday gift or just a gift to say thank you, the recipient will be over the moon!
3) Cute leaf earrings for a nature lover perhaps? – these cute earrings can be worn day or night with just about any outfit. A nice addition to jazz up your day and look and feel great.

September 9, 2017
The Black Prince

“Ultra-rare” 1951 Invicta Black Prince to be auctioned; here is a truly astounding shooting brake complete with an incredible mascot

An ultimate example of 1950s luxury, a 1951 Invicta Black Prince shooting brake with coachwork by Associated Coachbuilders – that cost £3,820 new (the equivalent of £110,000, $142,000, €119,000 or درهم521,000 today) – is to be auctioned in September.

Featuring an all alloy 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine with twin overheard camshafts, twin-plug ignition and triple SU carburetors, this automatic, dark green vehicle is just one of twelve survivors of sixteen cars made. It was actually completed after the Invicta brand ceased to exist in 1950 and finished in Sunderland as ‘MPT 850’ on 3^rd November 1951.

Restored and upgraded in the 1980s, the car comes with “a wealth of documentation” and retains its “truly extravagant mascot of the Black Prince himself.”

The shooting brake will be sold by Bonhams at their Beaulieu sale on 2^nd September in Hampshire. An estimate of £22,000 to £27,000 ($28,000 to $35,000, €24,000 to €28,000 or درهم104,000 to درهم128,000) has been set.

August 27, 2017
Flying a White Elephant

Orange County mega-estate sold last for £14 million on an original asking price of £67 million offered for sale again for £43 million after death of owner

The largest residential estate on the Newport Coast of California is back on the market. One Pelican Hill Road North in Newport Beach – alternatively known as ‘Villa Del Lago’ or ‘Villa of the Lake’ – is a property with an extraordinary past and though listed on construction for £67 million in 2009, eventually sold at a fire auction in 2012 for just £14 million. Its subsequent owner, a Japanese industrialist and publisher, death has now resulted in it being placed for sale again and this time £43 million is sought.

Situated on a plot of 12.47 acres and comprising 17,706 square foot of ‘Italianate-style’ accommodation, One Pelican Hill Road North was last marketed as having 8 bedrooms and 17 bathrooms. On a new, dedicated marketing page for it, it is now being promoted as having, amongst other things, 2 screening rooms, a china/silver room, an “indoor lap pool with fibre optic twinkling star ceiling”, a 14-car garage and a “wine cave”. Outside, there is a “cascading private lake”, stabling, a riding ring, a putting green, an “organic edible garden” and potential for a vineyard.

Jeffrey Janger and Linda Janger of Pace Properties have the listing currently but given another agent, Michael Gosselin of Surterre Properties, previously commented: “Newport Coast has yet to see any homes sell for more than $20 million (£15.5 million)”, it’ll be likely there’ll be a few price cuts yet.

One Pelican Hill Road North – The Extraordinary Numbers

2003 – Land purchased for $3.2 million by Monarch Estates. Subsequent construction loans total $27.3 million.

February 2009 – Completed house placed for sale for sale for $87 million by a realtor named John McMonigle, the managing member of a partnership developing the project.

May 2010 – Price reduced to $57 million.

January 2011 – Three offers received, all were below $37 million and not accepted.

April 2012 – Offered at a court-sanctioned auction with “no opening bid sought”. Sold for $18.5 million to Toshiaki Ogasawara, an industrialist and publisher of the Japan Times.

January 2017 – Placed on the market after Ogasawara’s death in December 2016 for $55 million.

August 18, 2017