« The triumph of the Baillon Collection sale is just reward for the experience of a 40-year career. All eyes have
been on Paris and Artcurial, the leading French auction house, that has had the privilege of offering this group
of cars. We have been amazed by the response around the world to the announcement of the discovery of the
Baillon Collection. These beautiful vehicles have become works of art in their own right. They now go to join
private collections and museums around the world, to have another life. » added Hervé Poulain, co-chairman of
the Artcurial Group.
Once again, Artcurial Motorcars confirmed its position as leader for Collectors’ Car sales in Continental
Europe. Enthusiasts from around the world made their way to Paris, with close to 30 nationalities
represented, to celebrate the history of the automobile, in the largest ever collectors’ car sale held in France.
During the course of the sale, the auction house set 10 world record auction prices:
AUCTION WORLD RECORD PRICES
- Lot 59 : 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider SWB 1961 : sold 16.3M € / 12.1M£ / 18,5M$- Lot 58 : 1956
Maserati A6G Frua : sold 2M € / 1.5M£ / 2.2M$
- Lot 147 : 1968 Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada : sold 1.2M € / 925 000£ / 1.4M$
- Lot 169 : 2011 Ferrari 599 GTO : sold 441 000 € / 327 000 £ / 499 000 $
- Lot 116 : 1986 Ferrari Testarossa : sold 196 700 € / 146 000 £ / 223 000 $
- Lot 141 : 1969 Lamborghini 400 GT Islero S : sold 298 000 € / 221 000 £ / 337 000 $
- Lot 145 : 1965 Maserati Mistral 3.7L : sold 181 200 € / 134 000 £ / 204 000 $
- Lot 156 : 1965 Mercedes-Benz 300 SE Cabriolet : sold 119 200 € / 88 500 £ / 135 000 $
- Lot 153 : 1958 Porsche 356 A Speedster : sold 298 000 € / 221 000 £ / 337 000 $
- Lot 174 : 1973 De Tomaso Pantera GTS : sold 133 500 € / 99 000 £ / 151 000 $
Without a doubt the most exciting moment of the afternoon was the appearance of the uncontested star of the
sale, the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider, arriving on the stand as the room plunged into darkness.
The saleroom held its breath as the bids rose, before bursting into applause as Maître Hervé Poulain’s
hammer fell at 16.3M € / 12.1M£ / 18,5M$ including premium. This is the highest bid in Artcurial’s history.
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.”
The collection of Roger Baillon, the inspired industrialist from the west of France who saved a great number of
cars from being scrapped between 1950 and 1970, realised 25,15 M€ / 18,7 M£ / 28,5 M$. The 59 « barnfind »
lots were all sold, achieving 2,4,6 and sometimes 10 times their estimates, including two world record prices.
The public exhibition, staged as a tribute to the museum Roger Baillon had dreamed of, attracted close to
15,000 visitors a day, many of whom had made a special trip from outside France to see these « Sleeping
Beauties ». The auction included a pre-emption by the Musée de l’automobile de Compiègne, lot 33, a c.1936
Panhard-Levassor Dynamic X76 coupé junior. This acquisition confirmed the cultural importance of these
automobiles.
The second part of the sale, commencing shortly after 17.00, 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: (lots 117 147 and 193), with eight new
world record auction prices, listed below.
Artcurial motor car department‘s next sale takes place in July, in Monaco.
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Images Peter Singhof
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