Collectors of classic motorcycles are familiar with the various auctions that take place throughout the year. Many eagerly await the official preview detailing some of the machines that will be offered (unless they are sold or withdrawn before the auction).
The auction season starts in the US in Las Vegas when the two of the main auction houses – Mid American Auctions and Bonhams – kick off their year with mouth-watering offerings of every type of vintage and classic motorcycle, and some hard to find parts too.
Often these two Auction houses will offer an entire collection such as in January 2012 when Bonhams were entrusted with the sale of the DuPont family’s motorcycle collection (the entire collection – including some parts – was sold for $1 million).
This year, the two companies again had record sales. Mid America offering some 600 lots which sold for a total of $6,902,550.00, and ranged from a 1961 Laverda at $1,600 to a 1911 Harley Davidson 7D twin that sold for $260,000. Bonhams offered some 400 lots that ranged from a group of Matchless instruction books, which sold for $100, to an unused NCR 900 Ducati (similar to the one Hailwood raced at the TT in 1978) which sold for $175,500.
Banbury Run Auction
The next big auction is the Banbury Run auction in June (the 7th) which is hosted by Bonhams Ltd. in Woodstock, Oxford in the UK. As always, the auction has some rare and interesting machines on offer amongst the 102 lots.
Probably one of the rarest machines up for auction this year is a Rudge Multi with Royal connections.
The machine in question is lot number 63 which belonged to His Majesty King Onyeama of Eke, Nigeria, and is a 1921 499-cc Multi. It was presented as a gift to the king by His Majesty King George V of England who had bestowed his Royal Warrant on the Coventry firm.
The bike has not been used since the late 1920s and was shipped back to the UK in 2013 by the family from Lagos where it had been kept in dry storage. Interestingly, the estimate is a relatively modest $3,500 to $5,300 (£2,200 to £3,200 UKP).
Vincent
As always in British auctions, Vincent motorcycles are well represented. Three “project” bikes are offered, a 1951 998-cc Rapide which carries an estimate of £15,000 to £18,000 ($24,750 to $29,700), a 1952 Vincent 998cc Rapide estimated at £10,000 to £15,000 ($16,500 to $24,750), and a 1955 Vincent 998cc Black Prince at £15,000 to £25,000 ($24,750 to $41,250). Also from Vincent is a 1951 Vincent 998cc Black Shadow at £30,000 to £40,000 ($49,500 to $66,000).
Myerscough Brough Superiors
Long associated with motorcycles in the UK, which included five dealerships in the Liverpool area at one time, the Myerscough family has entrusted two Brough Superiors to Bonhams for their auction.
The first machine is John Myerscough’s Brough Superior 1,096cc 11-50hp which carries an estimate of £18,000 to £26,000 ($29,700 to $42,900). The other is a 1928/31 Brough Superior Overhead 680 which has been in the family since 1969, but is thought to have been owned from new. This bike carries an estimate of £28,000 to £38,000 ($46,200 to $62,700).