NORFOLK STEAM CAR HEATS UP BONHAMS

NORFOLK STEAM CAR HEATS UP BONHAMS

SALE WITH £371,100 

 FOR 

1905 GARDNER-SERPOLLET

18HP TYPE L PHAETON STEAMER

 

A rare 109-year-old steam car, originally bought by a Norfolk farmer for £450, sold for £371,100 at Bonhams London to Brighton Run sale.

 

Taking the sale top spot, the rare Gardner-Serpollet was one of 23 cars and 162 lots of automobilia at Bonhams biggest London to Brighton auction yet, with the sale collectively achieving £1.5 million.

 

With his passion for motoring, the late George Milligen was no ordinary Norfolk farmer. Often seen out driving the cars from his varied motoring collection, he purchased the Gardner Serpollet in 1946 for £450 from Harpsichord maker, Alec Hodson, and kept it in excellent condition throughout his decades of ownership - remaining in his family for fifty years.

 

Elsewhere, a turn of the century 1900 Cleveland Sperry System Electric Three-Seater Stanhope sold for £55,200 to a telephone bidder from Austria who, after giving the winning bid, promptly flew into the UK just to take part in Sunday’s London to Brighton Run in his auction purchase.

 

“It’s wonderful when we’re able to give our buyers the opportunity to take part in the Run year-on-year. Bonhams have again enjoyed another wonderful London to Brighton sale, with an excellent turn out and some truly wonderful motor cars sold,” said James Knight, Bonhams Group Motoring Director.

 

Further sale highlights include a 1901 Panhard et Levassor Twin-Cylinder 7hp Rear-Entrance Tonneau at £259,100; a 1903 Malicet et Blin 8hp Four-Seater Rear-Entrance Tonneau at £102,300; and a charming 1904 De Dion Bouton 8hp Model V Coupé to an auction room bidder for £88,860.

 

Source: 2014 Bonhams

A RARE PHOTOGRAPHIC WINDOW INTO THE VICTORIAN AND EDWARDIAN AGE OF MOTORING FOR SALE AT BONHAMS

 

 21st October 2014

 

A RARE PHOTOGRAPHIC WINDOW INTO THE VICTORIAN

AND EDWARDIAN AGE OF MOTORING FOR SALE AT BONHAMS

 

Offered at Bonhams London to Brighton sale, the Argent Archer Archive provides a rare window into the Victorian and Edwardian ages of motoring.

 

The collection features images dating back over a century, from the Scottish Trials of 1905, to the Blackpool Motor Races of 1904; the Gordon-Bennett race and the Phoenix Park Trials of 1903 Ireland, to as far back as the Automobile Club 1,000 Mile Trial of 1900.

 

Toby Wilson, Bonhams Head of Automobilia, said: “Argent Archer was essentially the founding father of automotive photography in the UK. From his first studio on London’s Lime Street in 1881 he built a reputation within the industry as one of the best, and as the automotive industry grew up around him he was able to capture some wonderful images of the best of motoring from that period.

 

“It is exceptionally unusual to find Victorian and Edwardian motoring photographs, so to see so many in one collection is quite incredible. This is a remarkable and important archive of pioneer and veteran motoring photographs.”

 

When Archer returned from an event and processed his photographs onto paper from his glass plate negatives, he would put them all in a studio album, each with hand-written titles and offer them for sale as photographic prints to interested parties. They were available as plain photographic prints or displayed on Argent Archer photographic mounts. The collection featured in Bonhams sale comprises 767 printed photographic images in eight albums, 102 full glass plate negatives and 62 half glass plate negatives, with estimates ranging from £800 to £5,000.

 

The Argent Archer Collection includes:

• Lot 43: Argent Archer's 1903 photograph album covering the Gordon-Bennett race, Phoenix Park Trials and Castlewellan Races, Ireland 1903, - estimated at £3,000-4,000
• Lot 44: Argent Archer's photograph album of the 1000 Mile Crystal Palace Reliability Trials, September 18 to 28, 1903 - estimated at £3,000-4,000
• Lot 45: Argent Archer's photograph album 'Souvenir of Automobile Club 1,000 Mile Trial, 23 April to 12 May 1900' - estimated at £4,000-5,000
• Lot 46: Argent Archer's photograph album covering the Scottish Trials, 1905 - estimated at £800-1,200
• Lot 47: Argent Archer's photograph album covering two hill climbs, undated, circa 1904 - estimated at £1,500-2,000
• Lot 48: Argent Archer's photograph album covering the Bexhill Speed Trials, May 1902 - estimated at £1,500-2,000
• Lot 49: Argent Archer's photograph album covering the Blackpool Motor Races, October 14 & 15 1904 – estimated at £800-1,200
• Lot 50: Argent Archer's photograph album covering South Hailing Hill Climb and Bexhill Motor Trials, June 1905 – estimated at £800-1,200

 

Held on 31^st October at Bonhams flagship showroom on 101 New Bond Street, the annual London to Brighton Run Sale will offer over sixty lots of both veteran motor cars and automobilia.

 

 

Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run

The Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run taking place on 2nd November is a truly magnificent spectacle and offers members of the public a rare opportunity to view 500 pre-1905 vehicles travel on mass along public roads. There are many places and ways to view the cars along the 60-mile route from Hyde Park, London to Madeira Drive, Brighton.

 

SOURCE: BONHAMS AUCTIONS

THE LONDON TO BRIGHTON RUN SALE - BONHAMS

Catalogue Now Online

THE LONDON TO BRIGHTON RUN SALE
Veteran Motor Cars and Related Automobilia

Friday 31 October
at 1.30pm

New Bond Street, London

Lot 202

1899 Locomobile Type 2 3½hp Spindle-Seat Runabout

Registration no. EL 205 Engine no. 827

£28,000 - 32,000
€35,000 - 40,000

  

1901 Renault 4½hp Type D Series E Two-Seater Voiturette
Coachwork by E Vicart Fils, Levallois, Seine
Registration no. A 2743
Chassis no. 023
Engine no. 4749
6789

Lot 223

1902/03 Panhard et Levassor Four-Cylinder 15hp Model KB Roadster

Chassis no. 6042 Engine no. 6042

£600,000 - 700,000
€750,000 - 880,000

A 1903 Panhard et Levassor Model KB Four-Cylinder Side-Entrance Phaeton - first owned by Spanish aristocrat the Marques of Ivanrey - will star in Bonhams annual London to Brighton sale.
Ricardo Soriano, the Marques of Ivanrey, received the Panhard new in January 1903, heralding it the 18th car ever to be registered in Madrid, Spain.
Soriano was a well known entrepreneur of great wealth and influence. Famed for his eclectic pursuits, the multifaceted aristocrat was an early promoter of tourism to the Costa del Sol, paying particular interest to the Spanish seaside city of Marbella where still to this day one of the city's main streets is named after him.
The historic Panhard remains mostly in original condition, only in 1975 seeing minor restorative efforts to upholstery and paintwork. Having remained in the ownership of Soriano for 71 years, the Panhard has since changed hands just twice, only leaving its native Spain in 2006 for the Netherlands where its current owner resides. Competing in the London to Brighton Run as recently as last year, the Panhard carries an estimate of £600,000-700,000.
James Knight, Bonhams Group Motoring Director, said: "At 111 years old, the Panhard is in astoundingly good condition for such a well traveled roadster. A wonderful addition to this year's sale, it is among some 20 veteran cars, making 2014 our biggest London to Brighton sale to date."
Further sale highlights include the luxurious 1904 CGV H1 Four Cylinder Side Entrance Phaeton. Kings, princes, marquises and other aristocrats were among the clientele of CGV during its peak era, as well as members of high society on both sides of the Atlantic.
The car offered in Bonhams sale was bought by Olry Roederer from the well known champagne house, Louis Roederer, but sadly he passed away the same year before he could enjoy his magnificent purchase. Over the years the car has taken part in many rallies and other events both in the UK and mainland Europe including the celebrated annual London to Brighton run. As one of the star lots in the sale, the CGV is estimated at £390,000-440,000.
Also in the sale, a 1903 Clement 12/16 estimated at £350,000-400,000; a 1903 Darracq 12hp estimated at £150,000-180,000; and estimated at £70,000-80,000, a 1904 De Dion Bouton Model V 8hp Coupé.
Held on 31st October at Bonhams flagship showroom on 101 New Bond Street, the annual London to Brighton Run Sale will offer over sixty lots of both veteran motor cars and automobilia.

SOURCE: BONHAMS AUCTIONS 2014