Artcurial Auction, Paris Rétromobile: 4 February 2011 - Preview

Luxembourg Aston Martin Collection - all 'No Reserve'

Taking over the official Rétromobile slot, Matthieu Lamoure’s specialist team has assembled a 100+ motor car entry of which many are from collections, and some 40 are ‘No Reserve’.

All the Aston Martins from a Luxembourg collection, for example, will be offered with no reserve price. Mostly right-hand drive, the nine cars include a 1961 DB4 Series 3 (160,000 – 210,000 euros), a 1970 DBS Vantage (50,000 – 60,000 euros) and a race-prepared 1958 DB MKII for 80,000 - 120,000 euros.

From the private collection of a Mercedes-Benz dealer in Barcelona come 16 sporting Mercedes, the highlight of which must be the 1958 300 SL Roadster (380,000 – 440,000 euros). It’s not all convertibles, though, as the discerning Spaniard also included a Midnight Blue/Burgundy leather 1965 600 Pullman in his garage. 75,000 – 90,000 euros is the estimate on this understated, all-time classic.

Maserati aficionados will appreciate the opportunity to bid on a left-hand-drive 3500 GT Spyder Vignale in the colour scheme of silver/black hide. The 1962 convertible comes complete with hardtop and is estimated at 220,000 - 260,000 euros – very nice indeed (as is the 80,000 - 100,000 euros, 1971 Maserati Ghibli 4.9L SS from the same Belgian collection).


1962 Maserati 3500 GT Spyder Vignale - 220,000 - 260,000	1979 BMW M1 - 110,000 - 140,000

Elsewhere in the catalogue, potential sale-toppers are present in the form of either the 1931 Invicta Type LS 4.5-Litre Low Chassis Coupé (600,000 - 1,000,000 euros) or the 1937 Bugatti Type 57 C Atalante at 550,000 - 650,000 euros. The pre-War entry is further enlivened by the 1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Cabriolet (120,000 - 180,000 euros) and the 420,000 - 480,000 euros, 1937 BMW 328 Roadster.

1931 Invicta Type LS 4.5-Litre Low Chassis Coupé - 600,000 - 1,000,000 euros

Machinery suitable for competition includes a 1969 Lancia Fulvia Coupé Rallye HF 1.6 (55,000 - 80,000 euros), a 1983 Lancia Rallye 037 (100,000 - 150,000 euros) and another car from the great Torinese manufacturer, a decidedly rorty-looking 1962 Appia Sport Zagato for 50,000 - 60,000 euros. That would do me.

As would a keenly estimated (110,000 - 140,000 euros, I have checked, it is correct...) 1979 BMW M1 and a fabulous 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB, a Classiche-certified (despite its non-original colour) short-nose car for 620,000 - 720,000 euros.


1962 Lancia Appia Sport Zagato - 50,000 - 60,000	1962 Citroën DS19 Chapron Cabriolet - 80,000 - 110,000

Finally, I’m not sure what the nautical equivalent of ‘barn find’ is – maybe ‘boat house discovered’? – but Lot 255 warrants further inspection as it’s a 1959 Riva Tritone at ‘No Reserve’. Restoration has already been started on the iconic powerboat, although finishing it off might require more than a tin or two of yacht varnish...

Prior to the motor cars, Artcurial will offer 175 lots of automobilia, paintings, posters, mascots and motorcycles. Of the latter, we particularly like the 1965 Bultaco 250 Sherpa T ‘Sammy Miller’, estimated at 5000 - 7000 euros.