Christie’s first London motoring sale of the year saw just over three quarters of the lots sold, the highlights being the ex-Rob Walker Ferrari Lusso and the Bugatti EB110 GT. Looking ahead a couple of months, one of the 1950s iconic racing cars is under the hammer at their summer London Sale.
Most lots sold at mid-estimate, the 1964 Ferrari 250GT Berlinetta Lusso that once belonged to the famous team-owner selling for £189,000 (including buyer’s premium, as all our prices do) to a private UK telephone bidder, while the 1992 Bugatti EB110 GT went to Europe, for £117,500.
Other prices worthy of mention would be some strong Pre-War figures for marques slightly lower than ‘Grandes’, a 1936 Talbot 110 3 1/2 Litre Four Seater Sports Tourer for £64,625, and a 1936 AC 16/70 March Special Sports Tourer for £44,650. Unusually the 1923 ex-Dunhill Bentley 3-Litre Drophead did not sell, while the 1935 Bentley 3.5 litre Streamline Sports did, for a modest £25,850. Also on the Bentley front, someone new will be gazing admiringly at the 1988 Turbo R Empress II Coupé by Hooper, having spent £37,600 on a car the principal virtue of which is that its owner is unlikely to see another.
Of the other lots, the 1965 Gordon Keeble G.K. 2+2 Coupé sold for a good £17,625, the 1965 Jaguar E-Type SI 4.2 roadster for £25,262, and the dramatic-looking 1986 Lancia Delta S4 Roadcar for £23,500.
Rupert Banner, Director and Head of Christie’s International Motor Car Department commented "This evening’s sale saw steady bidding from the room and the telephone desks, and was dominated by private bidders. The top lot of the evening was the ex-Rob Walker Ferrari 250 Lusso, which sold to a private telephone buyer. We now look forward to an exciting summer season - the sale of the Tunic Collection will take place in Connecticut on 5 June, while the next sale in London is on 11th June and will be highlighted by the ex-Ecurie Ecosse 1952 Jaguar C-Type."
The ex-Ian Stewart Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar C-Type (estimate: £1,200,000-1,500,000) is the first C-Type Jaguar to be delivered to the famous Scottish racing outfit, and gained a string of victories across Europe. This represents the first time in over 12 years that a C-Type Jaguar has been offered on the British market, this example being one of only 49 still in existence.
The Ecurie Ecosse team was founded in 1952 by an Edinburgh-based chartered accountant called David Murray. Based out of a small mews garage in Edinburgh, the team began competing with Jaguar XK120s, before moving on to C-Type, and then D-Type Jaguars. It was with the D-Type Jaguar that the team cemented their legacy in motor racing history, winning the Le Mans 24-Hour Endurance race as an amateur team in both1956 and 1957. The C-Type Jaguars were the first to be painted with the distinctive livery of Flag Metallic Blue with white stripes.
The example to be offered at Christie’s was the first C-Type Jaguar delivered to the Ecurie Ecosse team, as they upgraded from the less powerful XK120 Jaguars. The car, chassis number of XKC 006, was driven by Ian Stewart and has an impressive racing history. In 1952, this car had 7 victories, with 4 further victories in 1953. These included wins at the Jersey Road Race, Turnberry, Castle Combe, and Snetterton. A victory at Charterhall in 1952 saw Ian Stewart beat Stirling Moss and Salvadori, as well as setting the fastest lap of the race. The car was then sold to the Netherlands, were it was successfully campaigned by Hans Davids, who won at both Spa and Zandvoort. The car passed to the present owners in the early 1970s, and was comprehensively restored by a marque specialist. The car has been used sparingly since, and is in full running order - ready to race!
For full results, please CLICK HERE.
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Christie's International Motor Cars Ltd
The Jack Barclay Showroom 2-4 Ponton Rd Nine Elms London SW8 5BA Tel: + 44(0)20 7389 2851 Fax: + 44(0)20 7627 8917 [email protected] |
Text - Steve Wakefield/Christie's
Photos - Christie's
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