RM SOTHEBY’S ACHIEVES $149,334 TOTAL FOR PEDAL POWER AUCTION AS LITTLE CARS BRING BIG RESULTS

RM Sotheby’s concluded the cutest auction offered via its Online Only platform yet, the Pedal Power auction, with total sales reaching $149,334. The online auction, offered entirely without reserve, featured 53 museum-quality pedal-powered vehicles, including cars, trucks, boats, and airplanes dating from 1927 to 1977, offered on behalf of pedal car expert and restorer Bruce Callis. The auction drew strong bidding activity with 44 percent of bidders representing first-time RM Sotheby’s clientele and nearly 85 percent of the lots in the collection exceeding their high pre-sale estimates, demonstrating a strong demand for pristine and collectible examples.

Leading the sale is the high-end Junior Forty 'J40' Roadster, ca. 1955, produced using unused materials from the Austin A40 Devon and Dorset production process. Featuring an opening hood and trunk, spare tire, working horn, and battery-powered lights, the J40 received a total of 38 bids before selling for a final $9,900—more than three times its high pre-sale estimate. Taking the second top sale slot, the luxurious Lincoln-Zephyr, 1941 accrued the most bids on a single lot at 65 total bids and achieved an impressive $8,700 (est. $2/3k). Rounding out the top three is the Chrysler Airflow, ca. 1935. Produced by Steelcraft and featuring working headlights, the Chrysler pedal car surpassed its pre-sale estimate of $1,200 – $1,800 and brought in a final $6,600.

Additional standout highlights within the collection that smashed their pre-sale estimates include a Buick, 1941, which achieved $6,000 (est. $1/1.5k); a highly original Scout Master, 1929, made of hardwood with an aluminum nose cone, propeller, seat, and wings, which sold for $5,520 (est. $1/1.5k); a Jet Hawk, ca. 1957, modeled after the Studebaker Hawk series, at $4,800 (est. $800/1.2k); a Dodge Fire Chief, 1935, featuring functional headlights, which sold for nearly five times its high pre-sale estimate at $4,440; and a Dodge Custom Royal Lancer, 1957, featuring the distinctive tailfins seen on the adult-sized model, at $4,200 (est. $1/1.5k).