RM Sotheby’s sets 5 new records and achieves more than $148.5 million at a three-day Monterey sale.
RM Sotheby’s flagship auction grossed an astonishing $148,528,300 in total sales recently over the company’s three-night auction in Monterey, California (12-14 August), with an impressive 90 percent of all lots sold. Following a hiatus in 2020, the preview exhibition and sales at the Monterey Conference Center were well attended, resulting in bidders from 34 countries with 20% representing new clients.
The 2021 sale featured a pronounced line-up of cars, including numerous blue-chip automobiles at multi-million-dollar estimates. In total, 44 lots exceeded $1,000,000, 16 lots exceeded $3,000,000 and 4 lots exceeded $5,000,0000 over the course of the three-night sale.
The opening night of the three-day auction kicked off with the presentation of The Paul Andrews Estate Collection, a remarkable collection of cars, offered almost entirely without reserve. Led by the stunning 1962 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato, the collection totalled $34,439,000 with 25 of the 26 lots finding new homes.
One of only 19 DB4GT Zagatos built, this particular example was ordered new with numerous unique features specified by the original owner. It is undoubtedly one of the most collectable Aston Martins in existence and achieved $9,520,000 – proving to be the top seller of the night and overall top-selling lot of the sale.
The two other lots to round off the top three sellers in Monterey were the 1962 Ferrari 268 SP by Fantuzzi and 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Competizione, both of which were offered on the second night of the sale. On a night that saw Ferraris take seven of the top 10 most valuable lots to sell, the lure of the best examples of Maranello marque is stronger than ever.
The 268 SP by Fantuzzi was a Scuderia Ferrari Works entry for the 1962 24 Hours of Le Mans and also a Factory racing and development car for the mid-engine V-8 configuration that became integral to the evolution of the Ferrari P-car series cars. Of the six produced, this is the only original example remaining that is fitted with the larger 8-cylinder engine.
It is Ferrari Classiche Certified with the original Fantuzzi “shark-nose” body configuration, boasts matching numbers throughout, and has had only two private owners since 1969. The car is one of the most desirable competition Ferraris in the world and sold for $7,705,000.
The 275 GTB Competizione is the 11th of 12 examples built featuring a 250 LM-type dry-sump Tipo 213 competition engine, thin-gauge aluminium alloy coachwork, and extensive use of lightweight components.
Campaigned by Scuderia Filipinetti; one of four factory-supported privateer teams, the car is a three-time 24 Hours of Le Mans entrant in 1967, 1968, and 1969,
a class winner at the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans, 1969 1000 KM of Spa-Francorchamps, and 1969 500 KM of Imola. Like the 268 SP, this car represents the peak of blue-chip, competition Ferraris from the 1960s. This exceptional Ferrari matched the 268 SP and also sold for $7,705,000.
Another standout competition Ferrari was the beautiful 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta ‘Tour de France’ by Scaglietti, a two-time competitor at the Tour de France in 1958 and 1959, driven by privateer racer Jacques Peron, who specified its light-blue-over-Havana livery. Achieving 4th overall in the 1958 Tour de France and 6th at the Monza Lottery in 1959 and boasting such an enviable period history, the Ferrari achieved $6,000,000 at the auction.
The third day of the sale also saw an incredible single-owner collection of supercars. Offered entirely without reserve, The Fox Collection featured some of the world’s most desirable modern era supercars and hypercars – all boasting unique or rare specifications. Again, Ferraris were star features within the Collection, and it was the 2003 Ferrari Enzo, one of two cars delivered in a Nero-and-Cuoio colourway, which proved to be the top lot, bringing $3,360,000.
The 2012 Lexus LFA Nürburgring resulted in an outstanding $1,600,000, breaking the record for Japanese road cars – excluding charity lots. Of the 11 cars offered from The Fox Collection, eight secured a final price beyond their presale estimate.
Another car that garnered significant pre-sale interest was the 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 S, a U.S.-specification Miura with an incredible history having been hidden away in a California Bay Area warehouse for over four decades. A unique time capsule driven fewer than 16,000 miles was recently guided through a no-expenses-spared, sensitive revitalization with the aim of keeping the car as authentic as possible. The car offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and was secured for $2,095,000.
Additional records were broken throughout the auction as the 1995 Ferrari F50 sold for $3,965,000, the 1994 Bugatti EB110 Super Sport sold for $2,755,000, and the 1991 Jaguar XJR-15 sold for $1,902,500 – all bringing at record prices for the models. The 1995 Nissan Skyline GT-R brought an auction record for the R33 generation Nissan Skyline with a sold price of $235,200.
Gord Duff, Global Head of Auctions, RM Sotheby’s said: “This is another landmark sale for RM Sotheby’s, as we achieved a sale total that ranks in the top three best Monterey auctions of all time. We pulled together a three-night sale featuring some of the most significant cars to be found anywhere in the world, and we believe it is a testament to our professionalism and reputation that cars of this quality have been entrusted to be sold by RM Sotheby’s.
Above all, this week has demonstrated that the market is as strong today as it has ever been, with collector-grade cars finding willing new buyers from all over the globe. We have also proven, once again, how high-quality cars can be offered without reserve and achieve record results, as demonstrated with many lots in this sale.”
The RM Sotheby’s Group continues its calendar this month with the company’s annual Auburn Fall sale, a Labor Day weekend tradition featuring more than 800 collector cars at the historic Auburn Auction Park in Indiana (2-5 September). September will also see RM Sotheby’s present its first-ever sale in Switzerland in association with the Bernina Gran Turismo event. Taking place on 17 September this exclusive boutique sale will feature approximately 20 high-quality automobiles.
