Rare Bugatti Sells for $1.2Million at Bonhams & Butterfields Brookline auction

SEE ALSO: Bugatti on Wikipedia

(April 22, 2007) Brookline, MA - International auctioneers, Bonhams & Butterfields sold a 1926 Bugatti Type 39A Grand Prix Racing car for $1.2Million dollars Saturday, at their sixth annual sale at the Brookline, Massachusetts venue of the Larz Anderson Auto Museum. Fine weather - for the first time in weeks - along with the established reputation of this sale among collectors, institutions and car aficionados world-wide, all contributed to the great success of this weekend's sale, with standing-room only crowds, competitive bidding and world record prices.

The excitement under the tent was palpable as bidding for the famed 1926 Bugatti volleyed from the room to the phone banks, and offers rose from the opening bid of $500,000 into and beyond the Million-Dollar mark. The 1926 Ex-Works Team, Bartolomi Constantini, Bugatti Type 39A Grand Prix Racing Two-Seater [chassis no. 4802, engine no. 76], a classic and historically important car, and one of the first supercharged Grand Prix Bugattis ever built, eventually went to an American private buyer bidding against a UK collector for $1.2Million dollars.

The owner of a 1923 Rolls-Royce Springfield Silver Ghost Piccadilly Roadster, a gentleman in his 90's and quite as handsome and distinguished as his Rolls-Royce, intently followed the spirited bidding, as it rose to set a world-record auction price of $342,500 amidst thunderous applause. "We had an amazing sale this year at Brookline," Mark Osborne, Bonhams & Butterfields motorcar specialist said, "with yet another world-record and achievement of the $1.2Million Dollar Bugatti price."

The 1912 Pierce Arrow Model 48 Touring Car, a favorite marque among movie stars, and U.S. Presidents alike, in a most complete and original condition, sold for $392,000, while the 1926 Rolls-Royce Springfield Silver Ghost Tilbury Sedan finished in authentic red with black fenders, wheels and trim, fetched $155,000.

The 1958 Cooper-Climax Type 45 Formula 1 Racing Single-Seater, with an impressive pedigree and association with a famous British air-force pilot, turned racer, Dickie Stoop, went for $117,000, to a U.K. buyer with the advantage of a strong UK currency versus the dollar at present. The eloquent, and award-winning 1932 Lincoln Model KA Convertible Roadster, also sold for $117,000 to a bidder in the room. The Hollywood lure of the 1924 Packard Single Eight Sports Roadster, driven by Mia Farrow in the motion picture, "The Great Gatsby" captured the new owner for $46,800.

The automobilia section of the sale, including offerings from the legendary Frank Cooke estate, drew highly competitive bidding, which set prices of rare Rolls-Royce parts and components at more than five times their pre-sale estimates. A fine "Spirit of the Wind" mascot by Rene Lalique sold for $29,250, while another rare Lalique "Longchamps" horses head glass mascot drew $17,550. A "La Lune qui pleure" mascot by Elie Ottavy, French circa 1920, and one the finest and rarest of all nude mascots, fetched $8,775, and another French mascot, "Comete" by E. Bregeon sold for $9,945.00.

"We are delighted to bring collector motorcars of this caliber to Brookline, and we wish to thank our faithful followers and extend a warm welcome to the new collectors who turned out for this event yesterday," Mr. Osborne said. "We'll look forward to seeing you all again next year!"

About Bonhams & Butterfields: Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son and Neale UK. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America, and in August 2003, Goodmans, a leading Australian fine art and antiques auctioneer with salerooms in Sydney, joined the Bonhams Group of Companies. Today, Bonhams is the third largest and fastest growing auction house in the world with a global network of offices and regional representatives providing sales advice and valuation services in 25 countries. It offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street, and Knightsbridge; and a further 10 throughout the UK. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Boston in the USA; and in Switzerland, Monaco, and Australia. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of more than 50 Bonhams specialist departments, go to www.bonhams.com/us