Bonhams & Goodman have kicked off a successful series of Collectors' Cars and Automobilia sales on Sunday 23 July. The Sydney auction was conducted at their rooms in Waterloo with a large crowd. The top value reached was on a c1926 Rolls Royce Phantom I Smith & Waddington Roadster, sold to a Tasmanian buyer for $97,100. Introduced in 1925 as a successor to the Silver Ghost, bidders competed fiercely for the car both in the rooms and on the telephones.

On the other side of the car enthusiast’s world was the c1968 Holden HK Monaro GTS186. After another session of competitive bidding, it eventually sold to a lady from Queensland for $31,000. Sporting cars were attracting attention, too. The 1976 MGB GT sold for $15,820, a 1982 Alfa-Romeo 2.01 Spider brought $15,528 and a 1966 Mini Cooper S earned $11,300.

In the automobilia section, a trophy awarded to the winner of the first official Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island sold for $11,300 to a collector from Victoria. The trophy was presented to A J Terdich in March 1929 in the form of a mahogany and glass cocktail cabinet with a silver plaque affixed to the front, and his family had kept it since the presentation.

Meanwhile, Bonhams & Goodman has consigned a c1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing for the next auction in the series, 22 October. David Bird, Head of Collectors’ Cars at Bonhams
& Goodman said that it was among the best Gullwings he had seen in this country. This superb original example was a gift from Mercedes-Benz to the Shah of Iran, who gave it to his wife Princess Soraya. The current owner, a retired Sydney resident, is the third owner since the Shah's English surgeon acquired it from the royal family in 1959. The car has just undergone a meticulous six-year restoration to original colour scheme and condition. Princes Soraya's Gullwing will be offered with a pre-auction estimate of $480,000-550,000 and will be promoted in Europe and America.
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A rare and elegant 1955 Bentley S1 Continental Park Ward Coupe that originally belonged to Hollywood actor Gary Cooper took a starring role at Shannons Sydney Winter Auction on 24 July, where it sold for $135,000. Cooper liked the beautiful RHD coupe so much that he had it delivered to Paris in 1956 when he was working there on ‘Love in the Afternoon’ with Audrey Hepburn. After filming, he sent the car back home to Los Angeles. When he died in 1961, the Bentley travelled to England and then returned to the USA before finally arriving at its current location in Australia. Although now 50 years old, the stylish Continental features power steering and air conditioning, and drew enthusiastic bidding from the floor and by telephone. A local buyer was successful, ensuring that the car will stay in Australia.

Classic American cars also earned top prices at the sale. A fully-restored LHD1956 Chevrolet Bel Air two-door coupe with two-tone white over turquoise paintwork went for a strong $56,000 and a 1996 Ford Mustang GT convertible brought $43,500. A spectacular ‘finned’ car, the 1960 Chrysler New Yorker 2-door coupe of motor sport personality Mark Oastler, sold for $34,000.

At the performance end was a 1990 Porsche Carrera 4 four wheel drive coupe going for $53,000 and a Holden LX Torana A9X sedan that brought $46,000. Classic collectors paid $19,500 for a very original red 1959 Austin Healey ‘Bug Eye’ Sprite roadster and $19,000 for a 1966 Morris Mini Cooper S Mk I, and the green Austin-Healey Sprite Mk2A Roadster with wire wheels earned $13,000. Special interest vehicle buyers found a pair of Citroen 2CV 6 sedans from 1986 and 1987, which sold for $12,250 and $11,250 respectively. A 1957 Goggomobil TS300 sold for $3,700 without reserve.

Shannons Auction Manager Christophe Boribon reported a clearance rate of about 70 per cent and indicated the market for interesting, affordable classics remains strong.