Classic Cars, Motorcycles & Automobilia

The value of musical instruments outpaced the investment in classic cars and fine art last year, according to a survey by a private bank.

Californian agriculturalist Lindley Bothwell (1901-86) made a fortune growing oranges in the San Fernando Valley and devoted much of his prosperity to classic cars.

A 1987 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur I used in the past by Princess Diana is included in Auctions America’s upcoming sale in Auburn, Indiana (August 31-September 3).

Aston Martins are associated with glamour and glitz. The car of James Bond. But the example coming up in a classic car auction in Essex on May 7 is more muck than mystique.

At first glance, a hammer price of £23,000 is a heck of a lot to pay for a vehicle distinguished only by a heavily rusted shell with headlights, bumper and assorted bits and pieces lying around forlornly.

A 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III DHC ‘Chinese Eye’ with a musical pedigree comes under the hammer at H&H Classics next week.

A 1936 Lagonda Rapier barn find will be among the lots at the Bonhams sale of the new Lord Harlech’s family collection.

“Non-runners but ripe for restoration” is how Cheshire auction house Peter Wilson describes three 1930s cars found in a garden. It also sums up what fans of classic car ‘barn finds’ are after.

Sheffield Auction Gallery uses the rather euphemistic term ‘weathered patina’ when describing the condition of a Rolls-Royce it has estimated at £1000-1200 in its February 24 sale.

“I am not a number, I am a free man,” was the cry of Patrick McGoohan in TV series The Prisoner. The important number at the Charterhouse auction house on February 12 is £20,000-25,000 - the estimate for a 1963 Lotus Super Seven S2, the model made famous by appearing in that 1960s cult favourite show.

Property developer and collector Harry Hyams, who died in December 2015, has left much of his £487m estate to a charity that will preserve his collection for the nation.

An ornately decorated Rolls-Royce, which includes Rococo-style panels, a French ormolu clock and Elkington gilt bronze mounts, is one of the starring lots at Bonhams' upcoming Bond Street sale.

A collection of motoring mascots formed by Robert White, a leading UK camera retailer, will be offered at Bonhams next month. Offered in single-owner sale in London on September 19, the consignments include 37 examples by René Lalique.

Flat tyres and a thick film of dust, dirt and grime. Last on the road in the 1960s. It doesn’t exactly scream ‘buy me’. Especially for a £19,000 hammer price. Not to mention the fact that it’s going to cost you many thousands more to restore.

It was definitely a case of the ‘best of British’ this weekend as Aston Martin, Jaguar and Bentley went head-to-head at Bonhams classic car auction.

Why pay £6000-12,000 for a roadworthy Austin 7 when for thousands of pounds more you can have one that’s a wreck?

The only remaining 1928 Morris model G taxi will come up for auction at Richard Edmonds Auctions in Chippenham this month.