Auctions America made waves in the collector car world this past weekend with its highly successful California Collector Car Auction in Burbank, Calif. Auctions America’s first foray into the Los Angeles market included almost 400 automobiles as well a selection of motorcycles and memorabilia and generated more than $17.2 million in total sales with nearly 84 percent of all lots sold. The auction represented Southern California’s unique car culture with a mix of hot rods, exotic European sports cars and vehicles with Hollywood provenance, drawing thousands of attendees from across the country. It aired live for two days on NBC Sports Network, including color commentary from world-famous comedian and collector Jay Leno, whose encyclopedic car knowledge drew rave reviews from all in attendance.
“This auction proves that with the right vehicles and the right team, Southern California can host a lucrative and successful collector car auction,” says Auctions America’s Ian Kelleher. “With over 400 listings and over 83% of the lots sold, with numbers above expectations, we could not be happier with the results of our first California Sale. The location in Burbank was central to most Los Angeles residents and the fact that we were just a few blocks from several major movie studios while cars with serious Hollywood history rolled over the block helped, but many of the top cars sold were simply outstanding cars that were highly sought-after. We want to thank everyone who came out to the sale – we will be back.”
Following a spirited round of bidding, top sale honors at the California Auction went to 1964 Shelby 289 Cobra, beautifully presented in white with red leather interior. Equipped from the factory with a very rare automatic transmission and benefitting from a well-preserved, first-rate restoration, the Cobra sold for $825,000 while the crowd cheered. Other highlights included a 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster formerly owned by actor Robert Stack, which sold for $808,500, an exceptional 1974 Ferrari 246 Dino GTS that sold for $291,500 and a 1948 Ford Super Deluxe Sportsman Convertible that sold for $247,500. Coincidentally, the 1946 Indian Chief motorcycle formerly owned by Steve McQueen sold for $143,750 at nearly the same time the new Indian Motorcycle company was debuting its 2014 Indian Chief model.
Auctions America’s California Sale Top 5 sales:
