1956 Maserati 250F (sold for $4,620,000, a new world auction record)
Image copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company. Photo by Jensen Sutta.
Gooding & Company, the auction house acclaimed for its world-class automotive auctions and record-breaking results, realized more than $106-million at its Pebble Beach Auctions August 16-17, 2014.
During the two-day sale, the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance sold 107 of 121 lots, which resulted in an 88 per cent sale rate, with an average price of $990,699 per car and an impressive 30 cars sold for more than $1-million.
Auction records were broken throughout the weekend festivities, as new benchmarks in automotive excellence were set for 16 cars including a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider, a 1955 Aston Martin DB3S and a 1956 Maserati 250F, among others.
“In addition to the many record setting prices, our auctions have become renowned as a destination,” said David Gooding, president of Gooding & Company. “The tent was packed with enthusiasts buying and selling the best examples while luminaries including Jay Leno and Sir Stirling Moss added to the excitement.”
The top lot of the weekend overall was the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider. This Ferrari is the highly sought-after covered-headlight example. In addition to this distinction, 2903 GT is one of a limited number of SWB California Spiders factory equipped with an optional hardtop. Offered for sale for the first time in over 14 years, this stunning Ferrari sparked a round of feverous bidding that resulted in a final sale of $15,180,000, a world record for a Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider.
Overall, Ferraris did extremely well throughout the sale with exquisite entries from the marque including a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Series I Cabriolet (sold for: $5,610,000), a 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Long Nose Alloy (sold for: $4,620,000), a 2001 Ferrari 333 SP (sold for: $2,365,000), a 1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso (sold for: $2,365,000), a 1956 Ferrari 250 Europa GT (sold for: $2,310,000), a 1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso (sold for $2,200,000) and a 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Series II Cabriolet (sold for: $2,090,000).
Applause echoed throughout the auction tent during unforgettable moments: Sir Stirling Moss presenting the 1956 Maserati 250F (sold for: $4,620,000), which he triumphantly drove to victory in the 1956 Italian Grand Prix, and Jay Leno’s energetic participation in the charity sales of the 1957 Buick Caballero Estate Wagon (sold for: $280,000) and the 2014 BMW i8 (sold for: $825,000).
Demand for elite marques on the uptick included a 1958 BMW 507 Series II (sold for $1,925,000), a 1963 Porsche 356 Carrera 2 (sold for $517,000), a 1967 Toyota 2000 GT (sold for $1,155,000) and a 1967 Mazda Cosmo 110 Sport (sold for $264,000).
Lots that sold for more than $1-million:
Lot 18, 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider, sold for $15,180,000
Lot 133, 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Series I Cabriolet, sold for $5,610,000
Lot 32, 1955 Aston Martin DB3S, sold for $5,500,000
Lot 113, 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Long Nose Alloy, sold for $4,620,000
Lot 115, 1956 Maserati 250F, sold for $4,620,000
Lot 144, 1939 Alfa Romeo Tipo 256 Cabriolet Sportivo, sold for $4,000,000
Lot 139, 1967 Ford GT40 Mk 1, sold for $3,520,000
Lot 131, 1927 Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix, sold for $2,970,000
Lot 58, 2001 Ferrari 333 SP, sold for $2,365,000
Lot 60, 1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso, sold for $2,365,000
Lot 26, 1956 Ferrari 250 Europa GT, sold for $2,310,000
Lot 141, 1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso, sold for $2,200,000
Lot 62, 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Series II Cabriolet, sold for $ 2,090,000
Lot 49, 1948 Tucker 48, sold for $2,035,000
Lot 38, 1958 BMW 507, sold for $1,925,000
Lot 11, 1974 Lamborghini Countach LP400 Periscopo, sold for $1,870,000
Lot 13, 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, sold for $1,705,000
Lot 147, 1963 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, sold for $1,512,500
Lot 35, Porsche 959 KOMFORT, sold for $1,485,000
Lot 130, 1964 Aston Martin DB5, sold for $1,485,000
Lot 110, 1955 Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider America, sold for $1,347,500
Lot 24, 1990 Ferrari F40, sold for $1,320,000
Lot 138, 1936 Auburn 852 SC Boattail Speedster, sold for $1,210,000
Lot 36, 1967 Toyota 2000 GT, sold for $1,155,000
Lot 148, 1967 Brabham-Repco BT24, sold for $1,050,000
Lot 152, 1992 AAR/Toyota Eagle Mk III GTP, sold for $1,045,000
Lot 20, 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ, sold for $1,023,000
Lot 51, 1958 Aston Martin DB Mark III Drop Head Coupe, sold for $1,012,000
Lot 59, 1955 Alfa Romeo 1900C SS Coupe, sold for $ 1,012,000
Lot 30, Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RS, sold for $1,001,000
For full results, visit www.goodingco.com.
Auctions of automotive excellence will continue at Gooding & Company’s Scottsdale Auctions on January 16 and 17, 2015 and the Amelia Island Auction on March 13, 2015. Highlights and star cars will be available in the weeks preceding each sale.