Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction
Bonhams maintained its traditional pre-pandemic schedule by resuming its Quail Lodge Auction as a one-day event, held on August 13 at the sprawling Quail Lodge & Country Club in Carmel, California. According to Bonhams, more than 800 in-person and online bidders from 38 countries were registered for the 2021 sale, and those who took advantage of preview hours had easier access to each of the 139 vehicular lots offered.
Another tradition continued once the gavel started to ring out its familiar “sold” tone, as the older and rarer exotics climbed straight to the top of the sales ladder. A 1928 Mercedes-Benz 26/120/180 S-Type Supercharged Sports Tourer — one of just 146 built between 1927 and ’30 — surged past the high estimate of $4 million and brought $5,395,000. It was followed by a 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Record Sport Cabriolet Décapotable that sold for $1,875,000, and a 1952 Ferrari 212 Europa cabriolet that realized $1,820,000. Cruising its way into fourth overall was a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL gullwing at $1,710,000, followed by a 1974 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 TT 12 open-cockpit Le Mans race car that sold for $1,677,000.
Big-block performance cars claimed the next three rungs, led by a 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra ($1,050,000); a rare 1964 AC 289 Cobra ($995,000); and a second 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra ($995,000). Rounding out the top 10 were a 1934 Riley MPH Sports two-seater that sold for $967,500, and a 1965 Aston Martin DB5 that brought $874,000.
In addition to setting four world records for individual models, Bonhams sold 121 lots, equating to an.
