Motor City

The Inn at St. John's
25 July 2015

AMERICAN CLASSICS SHINE AT RM SOTHEBY'S MOTOR CITY SALE

RM Sotheby's generated $7,425,450, with 79 percent of all lots sold, at its Motor City sale on 25 July in Plymouth, Michigan.

Returning as the official auction of the Concours d'Elegance of America at St. John's, RM's 21st annual auction in the Detroit area saw fantastic weather for the Friday open-air preview, followed by spirited bidding in both the room and over the phone at the Saturday sale. Interest was received from 30 states across the country, as well as from as far afield as Australia, New Zealand, and Argentina, with nearly 25 percent of bidders representing new RM Sotheby's clientele.

American classics led the charge at the three-and-a-half-hour auction, with handsome 1930s examples commanding strong prices to secure the top three sales of the day. The star of the auction, a striking 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ Dual-Cowl Phaeton, originally owned by Duesenberg Motors President Lucius B. Manning, realized $852,500 after competition from numerous bidders on the phone and in the ballroom. The Motor City-made 1933 Packard Twelve Individual Custom Sport Phaeton awed the packed auction room with its stunning looks, achieving $583,000 to applause from the crowd. Rounding out the top three, an award-winning 1934 Auburn Twelve Salon Speedster far exceeded pre-sale expectations at a final $506,000.