The Artcurial Motorcars Retromobile Auction 2015 was held 6 February at the Retromobile Show in Paris, resulting in €48 million in total sales and an 89% sell-through rate. The total sales figure, which included 10 record auction prices, was the highest ever for a collector car auction staged in continental Europe.
Matthieu Lamoure, Managing Director of Artcurial Motorcars said, “These exceptional results spring from work that has taken six months. News of the Baillon Collection has travelled around the world. International buyers came together in one room to pay homage to Roger Baillon. This triumph demonstrates the universal passion for the automobile. This is a significant collection that has enjoyed a significant success.”
Over 3,500 people crammed into the saleroom to take part in this auction that began with the 59 automobiles in the Baillon Collection. The top result at the Artcurial Retromobile 2015 sale went to the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider from the Baillon Collection that arrived on the stand as the room plunged into darkness. Under the direction of Hervé Poulain, co-chairman of the Artcurial Group, the hammer fell at €16,300,000 ($18,500,000), the highest bid in Artcurial’s history.
The collection of Roger Baillon, the industrialist from the west of France who saved a number of cars from being scrapped between 1950 and 1970, realised €25.15 million. The 59 barn-find lots were all sold, with two bringing record prices and some selling for multiples of their estimates.
Artcurial staged a public exhibition in advance of the sale that attracted close to 15,000 visitors a day, many of whom had made a special trip from outside France to see these “Sleeping Beauties”. (See Finding Automotive Treasure – Baillon Collection Interview)
In addition to the headline Ferrari, other notable Baillon Collection results included the 1956 Maserati A6G 2000 Gran Sport Berlinetta Frua at €2,000,000, followed by the 1949 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport SWB by Saoutchik that sold for €1,700,000 and the 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Record Cabriolet by Saoutchik that changed hands for €745,000.
The second part of the Artcurial Motorcars Retromobile Auction 2015 presented some 117 classic and contemporary cars to a full saleroom of enthusiastic bidders. Bidding battles and applause continued throughout the five-hour sale. Three cars changed hands for over one million euros, with eight new world record auction prices. A 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Berlinetta brought €1,900,000, a 1938 Mercedes Benz 380 K Cabriolet A made €1,400,000 and a 1968 Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada sold for a record €1,200,000.
Artcurial Retromobile 2015 – Top Ten Auction Results
1. 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider – €16,300,000
2. 1956 Maserati A6G 2000 Gran Sport Berlinetta Frua – €2,000,000
3. 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Berlinetta – €1,900,000
4. 1949 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport SWB by Saoutchik – €1,700,000
5. 1938 Mercedes Benz 380 K Cabriolet A – €1,400,000
6. 1968 Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada – €1,200,000
7. 1957 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster – €929,800
8. 1962 Maserati 3500 GT Spider Vignale – €858,200
9. 1961 Maserati 3500 GT Spider Vignale – €834,400
10. 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Record Cabriolet by Saoutchik – €745,000
For complete auction results, visit Artcurial.com.
Pierre Novikoff, specialist in the Artcurial Motorcars department said, “This will go down in history as an extraordinary sale! The Baillon discovery has been an incredible adventure. In addition to the passion it has aroused in enthusiasts, it is the unique story of one man’s dream, carried on by an entire family. The successful sale of the 59 cars in the Baillon Collection reflects the international response by collectors who have been touched by these phantom-like automobiles.”
[Source: Artcurial]
