The major auction houses are gearing up for the automotive auction extravaganza in Scottsdale, Arizona, come January. The latest comes from Gooding & Company, which has lined up a tempting array of rare pre-war metal for the event.
Chief among them is the Bugatti you see here. Chassis number 4487 is a Type 35 grand prix racer from 1925 – one of the most accomplished competition cars of its era, if not all of motor racing history.
The car was purchased new by American Standard Oil scion Wallis C. Bird, who raced it extensively on the American East Coast. It remained in his collection until his death in an aviation accident in 1961, after which it passed on to his widow. The car was sold along with the rest of the considerable collection in what was billed as the “Car Auction of the Century,” purchased by noted collector Henry Austin Clark, from whom the current owner purchased it 35 years ago.
Preserved in immaculate condition and resplendent in French Racing Blue, the Type 35 is estimated to fetch around $3 million when it hits the auction block on January 20-21, 2017.
Joining the Bugatti on the docket is a 1932 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Series V Grand Sport Cabriolet with Figoni coachwork once owned by Pierre Louis-Dreyfus. Recently restored but yet to make its concours debut, the white and black Alfa is valued at $2.5 million.
There’s also a Bentley 4 ½ Litre Open Tourer coachbuilt by Vanden Plas in British Racing Green – just like the one that won Le Mans in 1928 – estimated to fetch upwards of $1.1 million.
It’s an impressive array, and we’ll look forward to seeing what else Gooding and its rivals have in store for the Arizona spectacular after the start of the new year. In the meantime you can scope out the images below, captured by Mathieu Heurtault and Brian Henniker for Gooding & Company.
Photo Gallery
