07/02/2015 -
Independently from the value of cars for sale, the Auction organized by Bonhams at the Grand Palais in Paris overwhelmed for organization and beauty other high profile auctions held in Paris during these days in which the ‘Ville Lumiere’ was the capital of historical car. Artcurial and RM events probably obtained higher economic results, but the choice of the most iconic pavilion in Paris gave to Bonhams the advantage of a fascinating location to exhibit his cars.
Even before enjoying the car’s view, the visitor was psyched up by the building structure, in which the link with cars language is so evident: the neoclassic styled façade is in contrast with the roof structure of pane and steel beams that distinguish Grand Palais. In a similar way wood bodyworks live on the rough chassis of cars. For Bonhams this has been the art to guarantee the event’s success without having the best catalogue in this context.
Anyway the 2015 auction marked a growth in value of car sold with a total revenue of 21.493,075 Euro, against 17.000.000 recorded in 2014. The improvement is due to the average growth in car’s prices, while in the past year the result was mainly generated by few high quality and high value lots.
The 76% of the cars in the catalogue went sold, but the most indicative data is that the 23% of those cars didn’t reach the minimum evaluation suggested by the auctioneer: this may be interpreted as a better ability and in a more independent judgment by customers in evaluating Auctioneer’s estimates.
The most estimated car, an Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 with compressor and Zagato bodyworks, previously owned by Giuseppe Campari, didn’t find a willful buyer to spend 1.8 million, while better fortune had one of the 39 Aston Martin DB5 produced with left hand drive: the car was hardly contested until it reached the price of 1.897.000 Euro. Also unsold a 2007 Ferrari FXX Evoluzione.
The best deal was probably signed by the buyer of a red and left handed Aston Martin DB4, which went sold for a little more than one million and 140.000 Euro below the auctioneer’s minimum evaluation.
Following what happened in July of the previous year, also in this event Bonhams offered six cars from Maranello Rosso Collection, among which a 1964 Fiat Abarth 1000 Bialbero “Long Nose” and a 1973 Abarth Osella PA1, the last one unsold.
But, probably, the most glamorous lot was the 1981 Dap kart on which Ayrton Senna competed in the Kart World Championship. The little DAP changed owner for 57.700 euro, far above the maximum estimate of 26.000 Euro provided by Bonhams, but quoting Angelo Parilla, DAP’s father, Ayrton was the fastest driver of his time in kart as in Formula 1. So the apparent madness had well founded reasons!
