The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels owned Quail Lodge in Carmel California hosted 100 cars of incredible breadth and history at the 2015 edition of Bonhams' annual Quail Lodge auction last week, resulting in a successful sale with a 90% sell-through rate and a $46,738,000 total.
While exquisite automobiles from every period of motoring were represented, from Brass Era motorcars to single seat formula racers, it was the Italian cars from Maranello that took top placement.
"We're very pleased with our results," said James Knight, Bonhams Group Motoring Director. "Our strong sell-through rate, the numerous records achieved, and the increased interest from worldwide bidders – not just from America and Europe but from Asia as well – demonstrate the continued strength of the collector car market and demand for the finest examples."
The mouthwatering and historic race-winning 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Competizione Alloy Berlinetta was the star of the auction when it achieved $8,525,000 after spirited bidding from contenders across the globe, both in the audience and on the telephones.
The increasingly sought after 1971 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spyder realized $2,640,000 while the 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO Coupe – another Prancing Horse model that is vaulting to the top of collectors' interest – made an impressive $2,365,000. The immaculate and unique Pebble Beach class-winning 1951 Ferrari 212 Inter Cabriolet received wide applause when it was bought by a private American connoisseur for $2,200,000, earning a world record for the model.
Other Italian sports cars that earned top results were what could be considered one of the very best examples of its kind in the world, the 1955 Lancia Aurelia B24 Spider America that made a world auction record when it sold for $1,952,500, and the internationally famous Space Age 1953 FIAT 8V Ghia Supersonic – the catalog cover car – that realized a new world record at $1,815,000.
Additional world records made by Bonhams on Friday represent the incredible diversity and quality of the firm's offerings. Marque records were achieved for the incredible 1949 Veritas Scorpion Cabriolet and the attractive 1949 Lea Francis 2.5-Liter Sports, while model records were made for the 1922 Bugatti Type 29/30 Oval Tank Racer and 1952 SIATA 300BC Sport Spider.
