If you asked me to pick my top 10 moments from 2024, I honestly think I’d struggle—there have just been so many memorable points and milestones for our company. The past 12 months have been monumental for RM Sotheby’s in so many ways, with auction records smashed, new sales added to the calendar, and landmark consignments of such significance and quality that it’s been nothing short of a privilege to be involved in their sale. I’m filled with gratitude for our global community of collectors, enthusiasts, and friends, and the world-class team that has made it all possible.
When it comes to live auctions, we had so many successes this year, from a resurgent Hershey to all-new events in places like Tegernsee, Germany, but the Dare to Dream Collection is a standout for me. Not only did it become the most valuable single-owner collection ever sold by RM Sotheby’s (having hit almost $70M) but it redefined how these sales should be executed with a multi-platform approach of live auctions, online sales, and innovative marketing that yielded incredible results.
Another personal high came around the same time with the sale of Jody Scheckter’s remarkable collection of race cars in Monaco, topped by the 1979 Formula 1 World Championship-winning Ferrari 312 T4. The racer was just the latest in a line of hugely significant Formula 1 cars to be offered by RM Sotheby’s in 2024, a tally that we added to in recent weeks with the sale of Michael Schumacher’s 2006 Ferrari 248 via the Sealed platform. The market for these historic machines is an area of tremendous growth, and I’m proud that RM Sotheby’s has been at the very forefront throughout.
Monterey is a perennial highlight, and while this year didn’t reach the dizzying heights of 2022, it nonetheless cemented RM Sotheby’s position as the market leader, selling 33 lots in excess of $1M, five lots for more than $5M, and posting the top overall sales figure of $161.2M. A special mention needs to be made for the headline car, the very first 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider. As well as being the top seller on the peninsula at more than $17M, it was another very significant Ferrari our company had been entrusted to handle.
Top of the tree for live auction action in 2024 has to be the sale of Rudi Klein’s legendary Junkyard. This was a collection so rarely seen that it bordered on mythical, so to be trusted with handling the sale for the family was exciting for our team. Most of the cars had been in Klein’s care for decades, including the record-setting black Mercedes-Benz Alloy Gullwing and Caracciola Mercedes-Benz 500 K, and it was a real thrill to once again share them with the world. Above all, it was great seeing our team tackle the challenge, from researchers spending weeks in the heat scratching at VIN plates and cataloguing the madness to the final presentation on sale day; it isn’t an auction anyone will forget in a hurry.
Across The Pond, our European team entered the home straight with a revitalized London sale, trading Marlborough House for the spectacular five-star Peninsula London, Sir Michael Kadoorie’s latest show-stopping enterprise. Honestly, it felt like we had been there for years, and the opulent surroundings of the ballroom were the perfect match for the cars on display. Feedback was fantastic and we can’t wait to return in 2025.
This year also marked a period of expansion and diversification for the company, headlined by the launch of ModaMiami in March. Rob and I have wanted to shake up the concours scene for some time and grabbed the opportunity to launch a new event at The Biltmore in Miami with both hands. To lay on an event so fresh and polished in less than 12 months was a monumental achievement, and for it to go down as well with clients and visitors was a dream come true. From the Cuban-influenced music and hospitality to the magic of the Concours du Nuit, I can say I’ve never experienced anything like it.
The innovation didn’t stop there. Just after Moda we launched a brand-new auction in Dubai, an event that broke new ground in a region not known for its live auctions. The sale was a huge success with three lots selling for more than $3M, but more notable was the warmth with which we were welcomed by local collectors and enthusiasts—so much so that we held a second event just a few short weeks ago. This time held in conjunction with the 1000 Miglia Experience UAE, the sale surpassed the first event, almost doubling its tally with a final sales total of nearly $30M—including a world-record $11M for a one-of-one 2014 Pagani Zonda LM Roadster. The Middle East is a fascinating market with so much potential, and I’m excited for what the future may hold in the region.
Private Sales success continued with the Sealed platform, which has had another strong year including the offering of arguably one of the best McLaren F1s in existence, the totally unique and almost box-fresh chassis 029. The division is responsible for handling the sale of multiple McLaren F1s throughout the year, further solidifying our strength in discreet transactions of the world's most important cars. Similar expansion is targeted for our Financial Services division, which is being positioned to better service both buyers and sellers with their transactions and needs going forward.
So too Asia, where our Private Sales division has made considerable inroads. With a new foothold in Hong Kong and people on the ground, the team is now perfectly placed to make the most of this market, whether that’s sourcing a hard-to-find JDM special or assisting our local clients with the sale of their collections. The region has already yielded some great cars and I’m sure big things will be on the horizon.
Of course, none of this would be possible without the right people in our corner. In the past 12 months we’ve managed to strengthen our team considerably, and are proud to welcome Sotheby’s legend Malcolm Barber, early motoring expert Evan Ide, and our new Director of Private Sales UK, Harvey Stanley, into the fold. With such a level of experience and professionalism coming into the company, I’ve never been more confident in our global team and relish the challenges that await in the coming year.
And what a year it promises to be! As I write, our Paris sale on 4-5 February is shaping up to be more than twice the value of our previous best, bolstered by the inclusion of the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans-winning Ferrari 250 LM from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. In the same week, the Museum’s 1954 Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Stromlinienwagen will be sold in a standalone auction at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, while at the end of February, the remainder of the collection—including gems such as the 1957 Chevrolet Corvette SS Project XP-64 and an ex-1966 24 Hours of Le Mans Ford GT40 Mk II—will head to Miami to star at the second ModaMiami event.
It’s been exciting to see the collector car market grow and evolve over the past 12 months, and I’m immensely proud that RM Sotheby’s has played such a significant role in steering the direction of travel. I can’t imagine a time when I was more excited about what lay ahead. I’d like to wish all our clients and friends a wonderful holiday and prosperous New Year, and can’t wait to see you all in Arizona, Paris, Miami, and beyond.
