Historics Auction Sizzles in Largest Auction in 10 Years

Amidst uncharacteristically sweltering temperatures, Historics hosted its largest sale in its ten-year history on Saturday, July 17th, delivering a garden party atmosphere for the significant throng of attendees and returning another robust sale result.

Aerial View of the Historics Auction Field at Windowview Lakes, Berkshire
Aerial View of the Historics Auction Field at Windowview Lakes, Berkshire

The venue was the company’s picturesque 100-acre site at Windsorview Lakes, Berkshire, which debuted on their sale calendar in July 2020, when Historics celebrated its first decade.

After withdrawals prior to the auction, the total entry offered in the hall, on the phone, and online was 201. Known for representing the wide breadth of the classic and collector car market, Historics opened its consignment window still wider here with a selection of classic motorcycles, a duo of notable classics boats – including a sublime Riva Junior motorboat – and even a brace of Shepherds’ Huts looking entirely at home in the classic surroundings.

A total of 50 classic car marques spanning ten decades were represented, the earliest consignment being a wonderfully spirited 1910 Cadillac Model 30 Roadster, resplendent with its brass fixtures and fittings.

The three viewing days prior to auction once again proved popular, some 670 attending from Wednesday to Friday, whilst on sale day the auction hall was well attended throughout with over 900 bidders and guests present during the day. The online engagement was similarly buoyant, with some 700 bidder registrations from 27 countries.

Historics Auction full results in PDF format - opens in new window.
Historics Auction Results

143 of the 201 entries were sold, returning a gross sale of £3.328 million, representing a sale rate of 71%. 62 lots sold to online bidders, accounting for 29% of sold consignments.

With modern classics continuing to gain traction, one sale highlight was the beautifully presented, immaculately restored 1980 Ford Escort RS2000 which soared to what is thought to be an auction record price of £50,400.  

USA classics were well represented, an imposing 1961 Chevrolet Corvette C1 adding stateside flair to proceedings.  It certainly didn’t disappoint with an over-estimate £81,760. Ditto for a fastidiously preserved 1957 Ford Thunderbird that passed to a new owner for £33,320.

A professionally-prepared homage to the lightweight Jaguar E-Type race cars gained substantial attention, its 1967 Series 1 Roadster roots uprated with considerable finesse and passion by its F1 designer owner, settling at £85,120.

It was another fine day for the classic Mercedes-Benz marque, with over 70% of the 38 examples on sale passing to new owners, including a  very fine example of a Mercedes-Benz 1972 280SE Coupe and, nine years its junior, a virtually fully-restored 1963 220SE Cabriolet, which sailed well above its top estimate to settle at £56,000.

TVR is a far less frequent visitor to auctions and is it was a delight to see one of only 59 examples of the TVR 400, registered in 1966, sell briskly at the top end of estimate at £95,200.   Earlier in the day, a 1996 TVR Chimaera Clubman had growled to £32,480.

It was a robust day for Ferrari too, with all but one of the seven varied examples finding new owners including a brace of 1989 and 1991 Testarossas and a delightful example of a 1998 F355 GTS (£84,000) whilst staying with Italian classics, a matching numbers 1970 Maserati Indy, complete with a very extensive history file, lit up the rostrum, passing to its new owner comfortably over estimate at £48,000.

Finally, proving that Italianate finesse extends beyond classic motor cars, the aristocratic V8-powered 1967 Riva Junior dayboat – flaunting Italian flair from stem to stern – promised serene entertainment on the water to its new owner at its £48,000 sale price.

See descriptions of all sale consignments  and full results at www.historics.co.uk

Historics is now inviting entries to its major autumn sale at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday, 25th September.

Staff