AMERICAN CLASSICS FROM THE MOTOR CITY: RM AUCTIONS TO PRESENT THE ED MEURER COLLECTION AT AUBURN FALL SALE

AMERICAN CLASSICS FROM THE MOTOR CITY:
RM AUCTIONS TO PRESENT THE ED MEURER COLLECTION AT AUBURN FALL SALE

MORE THAN 90 MOTOR CARS AND AN ARRAY OF PARTS AND MEMORABILIA OFFERED ALMOST ENTIRELY WITHOUT RESERVE

• RM Auctions set to offer The Ed Meurer Collection at Auburn Fall auction, 29 August - 1 September in Indiana
• Offered almost entirely without reserve, the collection comprises over 90 diverse pre- and post-war classics
• Auburn Fall set to present more than 700 quality collector cars, wide selection of automobilia, onsite swap meet, car corral, and automotive activities for the entire family
• Additional event information and updated list of cars available at rmsothebys.com

 RM Auctions is delighted to announce that it will present The Ed Meurer Collection of Detroit, Michigan, almost entirely without reserve, at its annual Auburn Fall sale, held on Thursday, 29 August – Sunday, 1 September during the renowned Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival, with the collection crossing the block during the Friday sale session. 

Ed Meurer, Jr. bought his first classic car, a worn and paint-chipped 1936 Ford Cabriolet, in 1958 and meticulously restored it over four years to Concours condition. It was the acquisition and successful restoration of this car that ignited his passion and led him to begin collecting Fords of the 1930s, which he admired in his youth, and later expanded his collection to comprise a range of classics, with marques including Cadillac, Buick, Chrysler, Packard, Nash cars, Studebaker, and Jaguar.

In 2001, Ed built an extension to his publishing company in Metro Detroit large enough to house his entire collection of antique vehicles and memorabilia, inadvertently becoming the fifth largest private collector car museum in Michigan. By 2015 his collection had expanded to more than 90 motor cars, consisting largely of fine American classics spanning the 1930s to 1980s, and 4,000 sq. ft. of memorabilia, including vintage neon signs, gas pumps, and rare automobile parts. Well known and respected in hobby circles, Ed's garage became a must-see destination for dozens of car clubs wishing to marvel at his eclectic car collection.

Offered publicly for the very first time, The Ed Meurer Collection represents over 60 years of passion. Standouts within the collection include two rarities boasting unique histories, the 1938 Chrysler Custom Limousine by LeBaron and the 1958 Imperial Crown Limousine by Ghia. Powered by an inline eight-cylinder engine married to a manual transmission, the Chrysler Limousine was ordered new by Joseph P. Kennedy, father of President John F. Kennedy, and used in London between 1938 and 1940 while he served as U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain. Fitted with a host of exterior and interior options and finished in attractive dark green, the custom limo would shine in any American classics or pre-war motor car collection. One of only 31 built, the 1958 Imperial Crown Limousine by Ghia is believed to have been purchased new by the prominent Eaton family of Toronto, owners of Eaton’s department store chain. Personal friends of the British royal family, the Eatons often hosted Queen Elizabeth II on her visits to North America. It’s understood the family loaned the Queen and her staff two cars during her trip to Canada in 1959. This car is believed to be one of the two, primarily used for the evening and more formal events. Purchased by Ed Meurer in the early 1990s, the car has since been beautifully restored and is one of the finest examples in existence.

Other highlights comprise a 1935 Packard Twelve Convertible with stunning coachwork by Rollston; incredible full classics, including a 1931 Auburn Phaeton, a 1937 Cord 812 Beverly, and a 1930 Cadillac V-16 Seven-Passenger Imperial Sedan; a 1956 Continental Mark II, one of the most expensive cars in its day; a beautiful group of Ford Woodie station wagons; and even Chrysler’s iconic, luxury letter car series.

After visiting The Ed Meurer Collection, Gord Duff, Global Head of Auctions, RM Sotheby’s Group, said: “This collection is an incredible historical work built over more than six decades and featuring some of the finest American pre- and post-war cars. We’re thrilled to bring these important, interesting classics from such a renowned collector to Auburn Fall this year.”

Additional information on RM Auctions’ Auburn Fall sale is available at rmsothebys.com. A selection of cars from The Meurer Collection, including the 1960 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible and the 1935 Packard Twelve Convertible will be available for advanced viewing at the 2019 Concours D'Elegance of America on 26-28 July at The Inn at St. John’s in Plymouth, Michigan. To speak with an RM specialist or to register to bid at the Auburn Fall sale, please call +1 519 352 4575.

Visit: rmsothebys.com 

DIVERSE OFFERING OF COLLECTOR CARS LEADS RM AUCTIONS AUBURN SPRING SALE

DIVERSE OFFERING OF COLLECTOR CARS LEADS RM AUCTIONS AUBURN SPRING SALE

AUCTION TOTALS MORE THAN $6.8 MILLION

STRONG PRICES ACHIEVED FOR HIGHLY ORIGINAL COLLECTIBLES OFFERED FROM THE BOB STRAUSS COLLECTION

• RM Auctions Auburn Spring totals $6,853,794 across four days of auction action at the historic Auburn Auction Park
• Diverse top ten list led by beautifully restored 1930 Cord L-29 Convertible Phaeton Sedan at $157,300
• The Strauss Collection of impressive vintage and neon signs leads a successful two full days of memorabilia
• Complete results for Auburn Spring now available at rmsothebys.com

 RM Auctions returned to the historic Auburn Auction Park this past weekend (29 May – 1 June) for the company’s annual Auburn Spring collector car weekend. Total sales across the four-day auction reached $6,853,794, led by a diverse top ten sales list and two full days of exceptional memorabilia and collectables on offer. Bidders at the Auburn Spring sale hailed from no less than 11 countries, with more than 40 per cent representing first-time RM Auctions clientele.

The Auburn Spring auction sales were led by a diverse top three sales, including a marvellously restored and ACD Club Category One-certified 1930 Cord L-29 Convertible Phaeton Sedan at $157,300, a 2015 Rolls-Royce Wraith offered from single ownership at $156,750, and, rounding out the top three, a 1965 Shelby Cobra 289 “CSX 8001”, the first 8000-series 289 Cobra by Shelby American, at a final $104,500.

Additional highlights across various levels and segments of the market include a well-equipped 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL ‘Pagoda’ offered from The European Luxury Collection, which exceeded expectations at a final $93,500 (est. $65/$75k), a beautifully restored 1969 Plymouth GTX, which sold for $57,000 on Friday, surpassing its estimate of $40,000-$45,000, and a 1979 AMC AMX, showing what is believed to be an original 8,400 miles on the odometer, which drew considerable pre-sale interest, selling for a final$24,500 to more than double its pre-sale high estimate (est. $6k/$10k).

Auburn Spring successfully kicked off on Wednesday and Thursday with more than 800 lots of memorabilia going under the hammer, led by the Strauss Collection, comprising the impressive signs and collectables of the late Bob Strauss. The top seller of the collection was the Ford Jubilee Neon Sign, an 84 x 42-inch SSP multi-piece rolled edge neon, which achieved $63,250. Another stand-out memorabilia highlight was the Gas Flying A Chicken Wings Logo Neon Sign with excellent gloss and colour, and working neon, which surpassed its pre-sale estimate of $10,000-$20,000, bringing in $27,730.

Once again, the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) held their Annual Grand National Meet at Auburn Spring, welcoming 400 cars in total, along with 200 judges and thousands of guests. The meet saw hundreds of incredible cars on display, including 16 finalists for the Zenith Award, bestowed upon the best restoration of the year. The 2019 award went to a stunning 1931 Buick 8-94 Sport Roadster owned by David M. Landow of Bethesda, Maryland. The seven-year restoration project “wowed” the public and other competitors alike.

RM Auctions Auburn Spring 2019 Top Ten Sales

Lot 6088	1930 Cord L-29 Convertible Phaeton Sedan	$157,300
Lot 6059	2015 Rolls-Royce Wraith	$156,750
Lot 6101	1965 Shelby Cobra 289 "CSX 8001"	$104,500
Lot 6048	1988.5 Ferrari Testarossa	$99,000
Lot 6041	1932 Packard 900 Coupe Roadster	$94,600
Lot 6105	1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL 'Pagoda'	$93,500
Lot 6077	1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible	$84,150
Lot 6055	1967 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk III BJ8	$81,400
Lot 6057	1967 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray 427/390 Convertible	$81,400
Lot 6073	1954 Packard Caribbean Convertible	$80,300

The RM Sotheby’s Group continues its 2019 auction calendar with its flagship Monterey auction in California on 15-17 August during the world-famous Pebble Beach motoring week. Featuring more than 120 of the world’s most sought-after motor cars, the auction is led by the recently announced 1939 Porsche Type 64, the oldest car to wear the Porsche badge and the only surviving Type 64. This year’s Monterey sale is also extended to three days to include An Evening with Aston Martin on 15 August, which will feature more than 30 of the world’s most sought-after road-going and track-ready Aston Martin sports cars from across the marque’s illustrious history. Further information on upcoming events, along with complete results from RM Auctions Auburn Spring, can be found at rmsothebys.com.