Monterey '25 auction week

RM Sotheby's Monterey 15-16 August 2025

Well, the big news from RM is they are offering at least two cars from the Robert M & Anne Brockington Lee collection

1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Spezial Roaster #123702 - est $5.5-7mm



1935 Duesenberg Model J Walker-Le Grande Torpedo Phaeton #2583/J-548 - Est $4-5mm


Will be fascinating to see if these cars are the only ones sold of by the late Robert and his fabulous wife's collection.....

Ferrari's on offer are lead by one of two Giallo Fly US spec F50s, #104798 at $6.5-7mm



1958 250GT Cabriolet S1 #0801GT, fresh from a wonderful restoration by MPI, at $5.75-6.5mm


1955 375 Plus #0478AM has been for sale for at least a decade, and here it is again. I notice they make much of this car being one of two built on the Tipo 102 chassis and are open about its history which is fascinating in both good and bad ways. Est $5.5-7.5mm


1951 340 America #0126A - Est $3-4mm

 

Mecum Monterey 2025 14-16 August 2025

No marquee lots announced yet

 

Bonhams Quail Lodge 15th August 2025

The only highlight consigned so far is

1924 Bugatti-Diatto Avio 8C - Est unknown. An unknown chassis and aero engine was found in the 1970s by Bugattiste Uwe Hucke in a Turin auto museum. He later concluded this engine was one designed by Diatto to a Bugatti design, apparently. This engine built for this car was also apparently one built up by or for the Maserati brothers when they were engineers at Diatto in 1924/25. Its post 2002 restoration is full of what might have beens and so on............. Even suggesting that this was a prototype Bugatti Royale engine. The coachwork and everything is very much newly built!

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Gooding Christies Pebble Beach 15/16 August 2025

Highlights include 1961 Ferrari 250GT California SWB #2277GT looking superb in Nocciola over Tobacco. Est $8-10mm

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1973 365GTB/4 Daytona Competizione S3 #16407 - Est $8-10mm, one of the best racing Daytonas

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1958 250GT Tour de France #0925GT - Est $4.5-5.2mm

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Also Dino 246 L Series 00870 which could well set a new record:
https://www.goodingco.com/lot/1970-ferrari-dino-246-gt-l-series/?filtersInput%5BauctionType%5D%5B0%5D=Live%20Auction&filtersInput%5BauctionYear%5D%5B0%5D=2025&filtersInput%5BliveAuctionVenue%5D%5B0%5D=Pebble%20Beach&sortBy=ENDING_SOONEST&pageNumber=0

 

Broad Arrows Jet Center 13/14 August 2025

No marquee lots yet but easily one of the coolest cars consigned across the peninsular is the 1962 Shelby Cobra #CSX2003, one of the seven Cobra manufactured by Ed Hugus in Philly, before Shelby secured Ford funding for production in Los Angeles. Est. $1.5-2mm

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Will do a comprehensive list of consignments (except Mecum) as they become available

 

The late Brian Pollock's Dino 246 GT that he bought new.

 

FIFY

 

These very early Cobras had the 260 engine, rather than the 289. Jazz pianist Herbie Hancock bought CSX2006 (260, also in white) new in 1963, with royalties from “Watermelon Man” and I think still owns it.

 

Could we see 0008M on the block some time soon?

 

2277 Cal Spy. looks very reasonable (if that word can be used) vs. the last 3-4
250 SWB Cal Spy. public sales. - Unless non matching ? history ?
15m +

 

Frankly, I would be surprised, but anything is possible. I get the feeling Gooding Christies have already publicised their star lots but RM Sothebys might be waiting for the right time to drop theirs. It won't be a three day sale like the last two but might be like their IMS sale and stretched over several auctions, perhaps Monterey, New York, Paris, Miami. Or something. I know Keller isn't looking to sell off but the numbers of 80-90+ year old collectors and the recently deceased estates means a lot of unobtainable autos will be hitting the market over the next decade.

 

The last few were all covered headlights, this one is open so instant $5mm deduction in value. Makes no sense to me!

 

The SWB 250 GT California Spyders that actually sold at auction were all Covered Headlights examples. None of the Open Headlights examples sold during the auctions. Open Headlights 1883 GT without fender vents with an estimate of $9.5m to $11.5m did not sell until just after the RM Sotheby's 2023 Monterey auction for an undisclosed price. Covered Headlights make the big difference. 2277 GT is matching numbers, or was, last time it failed to sell at its 2017 Bonhams Scottsdale auction. To its credit it now looks a lot more suitably elegant in its original Nocciola Metallizzato colour with bumpers rather than its then un-resale red and without bumpers.

LWB versions are generally less desirable but exceptional and famous Open Headlights Alloy LWB 250 GT California Spyder 1451 GT, a real Competizione version (rather than over and mis-described by dealer aluminium bodied non Competizione versions with no competition history) with good Le Mans history took a massive loss this year at its Broad Arrow Amelia Island auction selling for $9,465,000 compared to its December 2017 RM Sotheby's New York auction where it fetched $17,990,000.

 

Ouch

 

.

 

nice sound

 

Surprising to see tinted windshields in 2277 & 16407.
One would think cars at these (rarity & perceived value) levels would be presented for sale in more authentic configurations.
Easy enough to correct, but could make one wonder what else is not quite right.

 

A bit off-topic: After dealing with the Ecclestone collection, Tom Hartley Jnr. mentioned he was working on another big sale. Some of us speculated about those semi-dormant collections like Perfetti's, etc. but it has now been announced: it's the Mansour Ojjeh collection - around 20 McLaren road cars.

https://www.tomhartleyjnr.com/the-mansour-ojjeh-collection/

 

That F1 is worth approximately $20-25mm on its own

The other 19 McLarens are probably worth approximately $20-25mm collectively, despite what investors believe

Says it all really

 

Nice collection of McLarens if you like McLarens but hardly shaking the car world as claimed by the vendor.

 

I notice the Aston Martin Valkyrie has joined the roster of modern hypercars that investors have bought expecting a quick profit. Four offered at auction so far, none sold. I expect Mecum to offer multiple McLarens at around the $1-2mm mark and sell none at Monterey AGAIN!

 

Of the 4 Valkyries auctioned so far, RM Sotheby's sold a 2023 example in Dubai on 8th March, 2024 for $3,070,625, see here, and a 2022 example in Dubai on 1st December, 2024 for $2,648,750, see here. Results still awaited as I write from Artcurial and Bonhams on the 2 auctioned in the last few days.

 

A friend was at the Bonhams sale and says it didn't sell, his 0 from 4, I took verbatim which I should have known better