COLLECTION TOTALS €7.3M IN SALES
COLLECTION RESULTS LED BY MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SL ROADSTER AT €759,000
THE EUROPEAN SALE CONTINUES 11 JUNE WITH AN ADDITIONAL 111 LOTS CLOSING
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LONDON (10 June 2020) – Today, RM Sotheby’s completed the first day of lot closures for Online Only: The European Sale, the auction house’s first-ever European car auction held via its proprietary online platform. Lots offered in the two-day auction were originally set for RM Sotheby’s second annual Essen auction, which was cancelled alongside the Techno Classica Essen motor show due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
All lots on offer today were presented from The Petitjean Collection, a spectacular group of nearly 100 cars and a selection of collectibles assembled by lifelong enthusiast and ex-racing driver, Monsieur Marcel Petitjean, and offered entirely without reserve. The 103 lots, many of which represented seldom-seen European models and have seen decades of ownership in the Petitjean Collection, all found new homes and met RM Sotheby’s overall pre-sale expectations, bringing a total of more than €7.325 million. The European Sale overall has already attracted nearly 900 registered bidders, with additional interest continuing to come in ahead of the final day of bidding.
Results for the Collection were led by the 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, which sold for a final €759,000. Delivered new to France, the 300 SL was one of fewer than 30 examples specified with factory Rudge wheels from new and has resided in the Petitjean Collection since 1976.
The group of eight Lamborghini models through the years offered from the Petitjean Collection drew significant pre-sale interest, translating to strong results in the auction. Leading the group was an early thin-gauge-chassis 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 which brought a final €715,000. The first Miura delivered to Paris, the car had been owned by M. Petitjean since 1979. Also selling well was the 1979 Lamborghini Countach LP400 S, which sold well within estimate at €451,000. One of just 50 first-series LP400 S examples built, the car was offered from 33 years of ownership in the Collection.
The 1964 Porsche 904 GTS was another top lot of the sale, achieving a final €693,000. Offered from 27 years of single ownership, the 904 GTS was the first of a line of mid-engined Porsche sports cars that finished with the lauded 917, and was also the final design penned by F A Porsche for his family’s firm. Following appropriate preparation, the car sold today would be highly eligible for many top historic racing events.
Online Only: The European Sale continues Thursday, 11 June with the closure of an additional 111 lots, highlighted by a 2020 Porsche 935 ‘Martini’, 1939 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet by Gangloff, 1997 RUF CTR2 Sport, 1967 Aston Martin DB6 Volante, 1981 Lancia 037 Stradale, and more.
There is still time to register to bid at rmsothebys.com. Complete results from RM Sotheby’s Online Only: The European Sale featuring the Petitjean Collection will be made available at rmsothebys.com. Results are listed in EURO and include buyer’s premium.