.
The Thomas F. Derro Collection, one of the Northeast’s greatest collections of American automobiles, offered
entirely without reserve, stole the show on Friday evening, with many lots achieving or exceeding estimates.
Drawing tremendous pre-sale interest, the twelve-car Derro Collection was led by the 1933 Pierce-Arrow
Silver Arrow, the very first of just four examples and a mere three survivors, which brought a final $2,310,000
following an extended contest between bidders in the room and on the phone. An Art Moderne monument, the
Silver Arrow is the irreplaceable centerpiece for any collection of Full Classics—a true showstopper.
Additional highly anticipated highlights from the Derro Collection include an exceptionally restored,
award-winning 1935 Duesenberg Model J Cabriolet with one-off European coachwork by d’Ieteren, which
sold for $1,485,000, a striking 1957 Dual-Ghia Convertible with the optional D500 Hemi V-8 engine which
well-exceeded expectations at $341,000 (Est. $200k/250k), and a 1941 Packard Custom Super Eight One
Eighty Convertible Victoria, used in the popular 1970s NBC television series “Banacek”, which brought a
strong $407,000.
The Thursday evening sale session also featured an important collection of cars offered from the estate of the
late Ralph Whitworth, the country’s foremost collector of hot rods and customs. The group was led by the
1932 Ford “Pete Henderson” Roadster, the well-known ’32 Ford that famously beat an undefeated quarter
horse in 1944, which saw tremendous pre-sale interest and eventually sold for a final $192,500 (Est.
$160k/180k). Deuce Coupes were in high demand on the night, with another 1932 Ford Three-Window
Coupe Hot Rod with original speed equipmentsoaring past estimate to reach $90,750 (Est. $50k/65k).
"The RM Sotheby’s Hershey auction remains one of the premier destinations for die-hard Classic and Brass
era enthusiasts and the results over the course of the two-day auction simply reaffirmed the strength of the
market and depth of the consignments for this year’s stellar offering,” said Gord Duff, Global Head of Auctions
for RM Sotheby’s, following the sale. “Headlined by notable estate collections; The Thomas F. Derro and
Ralph Whitworth Collections respectively, RM Sotheby’s was honored to have been chosen to represent such
esteemed names in the hobby. It goes to show that the mix between cars with outstanding provenance
against the backdrop of our annual Hershey sale continues to provide the recipe for sweet success”.
Stand-out American Classics of exceptional provenance also shone outside of the private collections.
Thursday evening saw a 1936 Cadillac V-16 Convertible Sedan by Fleetwood, one of the very finest first
generation examples extant, bring a well-deserved $715,000. Sympathetically restored from an outstanding
original example, the V-16 was exhibited for six decades at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry and
came to Hershey having had just two private owners since 1949. On Friday, an authentic,
factory-supercharged 1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Cabriolet delighted the packed auction room when it
reached a final $412,500 following interest from multiple parties (Est. $300k/350k).
Proving that collectors are willing to pay strong money for the truly special cars at all levels of the market, one
of the most anticipated and most unique lots of the Thursday sale was the iconic 1937 White Model 706
Yellowstone Park Tour Bus. Originally supplied to Yellowstone National Park and now upgraded for modern
enjoyment, the ultimate party bus ignited a fierce competition between nearly 20 bidders on the phone and in
the room, smashing its presale estimate at a final $165,000 (Est. $30k/40k). On Friday evening, an
immaculately restored, Canadian-delivery 1961 AMC Metropolitan 1500 Convertible also charmed its way
past high estimate, attracting a bidding contest that eventually saw it sold at$74,250 (Est. $30k/40k).
RM Sotheby’s Hershey 2017 Top Ten Sales
RM Sotheby’s continues a busy week, partnering with Ferrari to host their 70th anniversary celebrations in
New York City this weekend, 7-8 October. The auction house is displaying ten iconic automobiles
hand-selected by Ferrari at Sotheby’s Manhattan headquarters showcasing top models across seven
decades. Ferrari is also displaying cars at landmarks across the city, including at Rockefeller Plaza—where
Michael Schumacher’s Monaco Grand Prix-winning Ferrari F2001 will be on view ahead of its offering at
Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening Auction on 16 November in New York—the first collector car ever offered
in a Sotheby’s art sale. RM Sotheby’s rounds out its 2017 auction calendar with a return to Manhattan on 6
December for the third iteration of the company’s sale at Sotheby’s global headquarters. Entitled “ICONS”, the
event will celebrate the cutting edge of automotive design, presenting a curated roster of 40 of history’s most
iconic automobiles from the world's most admired marques.
Related Material
... Consolidated 2014 - 2017/August Auction Results sorted by Price descending >>>
... Consolidated 2014 - 2017/August Auction Results in gallery view >>>
|
