Gooding & Company, the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, will feature consignments of three exceptional collector cars at its annual Pebble Beach auction this August. The trio was displayed publicly at the recent Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival, with one car each from Ferrari, Maserati and Mercedes-Benz, each boasting its own distinctive pedigree.
The Mercedes is a supercharged 1927 S Boattail Speedster that beyond once being owned by the Marx brothers, also appeared in the Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant film Sylvia Scarlett, and once played a starring role in a match race on the Muroc Dry Lake. This car has lived its entire life in California and remains in very original condition. It is a rare Murphy-bodied Mercedes, and is being offered at public auction for the very first time.
The Maserati (above) is the 1956 200SI (chassis 2401) that served as the factory’s race and development car for many years. The two-liter machine enjoys an extensive racing history, having served drivers like Sir Stirling Moss, Jean Behra and Piero Taruffi in major races all over the world. It also won its class at this spring’s Amelia Island Concours, and brings along extensive documentation.
The Ferrari hails from the estate of the late Gil Nickel, and is a Vignale-bodied 1951 340 America (chassis 0140A) that debuted at the New York Auto Show of 1952. Mr. Nickel owned the car for some 30 years, during which time he regularly entered it in prestigious events around the globe.
The 2010 Pebble Beach Auction will commence at 5 p.m. on Saturday August 14 at the Equestrian Center and continues through Sunday, although preview days begin the previous Wednesday. For further information, please visit www.goodingco.com
