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| 1964 Aston Martin DB5 (DB5/1896/R), originally supplied to George Harrison, sold for £394,000. |
London-based house Coys declared results of some £4.5m for its 7 December sale. Top-selling car was an ex-Ecclestone Collection, £864,000 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K, and an American buyer became the latest owner of the ex-George Harrison, 1964 Aston Martin DB5.
Competition from other buyers worldwide made it difficult for the determined Aston Martin and Beatle enthusiast from Houston, Texas. The car was eventually bought for a strong £394,000.
Delighted with his purchase, the anonymous buyer stated afterwards: “George Harrison would be amazed about all the money his car is going to raise for Christian causes.”
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| 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster - Sold for £343,000 |
Other ‘celebrity’ cars that Coys was pleased to find new owners for included the ex-Jimmy Page (of Led Zeppelin) 1936 Cord 810 Phaeton that achieved £80,000. The ‘barn-find’ (actually Edinburgh mews garage-stored, for 23 years) 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster made £343,000 - £100,000 over estimate.
The 1967 Lotus Type 47 Group 4 racing car sold for £75,000 and the gold-painted, ex-Du Pont family 1952 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn for £49,960.
Commenting on the contest for the ‘Beatles’ DB5, and the overall success of the sale, Chris Routledge, Coys’ Managing Director said, “There was a battle royal for this car which went for some £150,000 over its estimate.
“It was a fantastic sale with dealers and collectors from all over the world participating. There is also no doubt that many people who in the past invested in stocks and shares are now looking to classic cars as a good investment for the future.”
For further information, see www.coys.co.uk.
Text - Steve Wakefield
Photos - Coys / Adam Jacobs
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