Shannons has expanded its auction team with leading auctioneer Ross Johnston joining the frontline squad commencing at the upcoming Shannons Sydney Summer Auction on Monday, February 15.

Johnston has supported Shannons’ flamboyant auctioneer Bill Wellwood at Melbourne Motor Show Auctions in the past and additionally has worked closely with Shannons and Wellwood on charity and memorabilia auctions in recent years.

Highlights include testimonial auctions for North Melbourne AFL legend Glenn Archer and Socceroo guru Paul Trimbole, while the charity sale he conducted for Ronald McDonald House raised over $200,000.

Johnston also spent eight years working with the Fowles Group on vehicle and equipment clearance and salvage auctions.

Shannons National Auction Manager Christophe Boribon said he was delighted that Johnston would now be working even closer with Shannons.

“Ross is a true professional,” he said. “He has been an important part of the Shannons team for many years and understands the way we work to give our clients the best possible result.”

Ross Johnston will be seen at all 2010 Shannons auctions. Here is the provisional calendar to date: -

February15 – Shannons Sydney Summer Classic Auction

March 15 – Shannons Melbourne Autumn classic Auction

May 3 – Shannons Sydney Autumn Auction

June 7 – Shannons Melbourne Winter Classic Auction

July 18 – Shannons MotorEx auction, Sydney

Pickles Auctions will clear a huge range of Repossessed Prestige Vehicles in Sydney on Monday 21 December.

The auction will include a range of BMW’s, Mercedes, Lexus, VW’s, Audi’s, and more. Don’t miss your chance to buy a fantastic prestige vehicle at our last sale for 2009!

Over 60 prestige motor vehicles will go under the hammer on behalf of Finance companies (Repossessions), Fleet Lease companies and other vendors in the last prestige Auction for 2009.

The auction will be held in Sydney on Monday 21 December at 5.00pm at Pickles Auctions flagship branch on Kingsgrove Road in Belmore.

Branch Manager – Belmore – Steve Allen says “The end of year prestige auction will attract a large amount of interest, with buyers having the opportunity to save thousands on a huge range of quality used prestige cars. With this being the last chance to buy this year, we are expecting a great turnout.”

“In the lead up to Christmas our vendors/owners want the cars off the books”. It is a great opportunity for prospective bidders to snap up a fantastic bargain before the end of year”, says Steve.

Buyers can view the vehicles available for sale online at www.pickles.com.au. “I would encourage buyers to check out the great range available so they know what they want before they arrive at the sale. Public viewing will be held between 9.00am and 4.00pm on Sunday 20 December and from 9.00am on the day of sale.” says Steve.

The Prestige Repossession Auction is on Monday 21 December from 5.00pm at Pickles Auctions, 54 Kingsgrove Road, Belmore, Sydney.

Prospective buyers are encouraged to pre-register for the auction online at www.pickles.com.au, prior to attending the auction.

A 1934 Riley Imp two-seater sports car has sold in Sydney for a world record auction price of $169,500 IBP.

Made in limited numbers, the Riley Imp is a rarity today and commensurately much sought after. This particular example raced in the 10th Australian Grand Prix in 1938, the first year the race was held at Bathurst.

The car sold to a Melbourne based collector and was part of an impressive collection of Collectors’ Motor Cars, Motorcycles, Motor Boats, Number Plates and Automobilia auctioned at Bonhams & Goodman on Sunday.

The 1923 Bugatti Brescia type 23 also sold very well receiving $278,650 IBP after fierce bidding on the phones and in the auction room. And two very rare motorcycles sold exceedingly well, the 1910 FN 5hp Four, which was once owned by George Roberts of Qantas, selling for $35,030 and the Corish Vincent selling for $79,100 IBP.

The auction made a total of $1,847,477 IBP, clearing 70% by volume.

The Collectors’ Motor Car Department will continue to hold auctions in 2010, with more to be revealed early in the new year.

www.bonhamsandgoodman.com.au

Bonhams & Goodman is holding an auction series of exquisite jewellery collections totalling more than $7.5million.

Starting today at our Double Bay salerooms, a record number of 1000 lots of fine, antique and contemporary jewellery sold in three auctions over three days:

Affordable Jewellery, Sydney
Monday 7 December at 10am

Fine Jewellery & Watches, Sydney
Monday 7 December at 6pm

Modern Jewels, Sydney
Wednesday 9 December at 6pm

On Sunday 6 December at 4pm, Bonhams & Goodman will be hosting the To Life 2009 Fine Art auction to raise much needed funds for the Jewish Holocaust Museum and Research Centre in Elsternwick, Victoria.

Artists, collectors and dealers have generously donated over 60 artworks to be sold at auction with all proceeds going towards improving and maintaining this important not-for-profit centre.

Highlights of the auction include artworks by Rick Amor, Charles Blackman, David Bromley, Justin O’Brien, Gloria Petyarre, Lloyd Rees, Imants Tillers and Fred Williams.

John Albrecht, CEO at Leonard Joel, will conduct the auction which will take place at:

Bonhams & Goodman Level 1, 540 Malvern Road, Prahran.

Viewing
Friday 4 December, 12noon to 4pm
Saturday 5 December, 12noon to 4pm
Sunday 6 December, 12noon to 4pm

www.bonhamsandgoodman.com.au

Consumer confidence is back with a bang in the classic vehicle auction market if the results from Shannons November 23 Melbourne Summer sale are any measure.
With over 90 per cent of all lots sold for a total result of nearly $1 million, the auction delivered one of the best regional auction outcomes of the year, prompting Shannons National Auction Manager Christophe Boribon to label it “very positive”.
Victoria black and white numerical number plates battled for supremacy with cars all evening, with the top sale eventually going to the plate ‘345′, which brought $82,000, just eclipsing ‘309′ ($81,000), ‘899′ ($77,000) and ‘565′ ($72,000).
The top-selling vehicle was a very well-presented and original Australian-delivered 1977 Porsche 930 Turbo 3.0, which sold for $74,000, followed by an ex-US 1972 Jaguar E-Type Series 3 V12 with manual transmission that made $67,000 – both excellent results for these vehicles.
Other Victorian number plates to do well at the auction were the ‘lucky’ ‘8.988′ ($33,000), the numerically interesting ‘9.669′ and ‘1.007′ (both $26,000), ‘5.999′ ($23,000) and ‘2.477′ ($19,000), while ‘88.000′ punched well above its weight for a five-digit plate when it sold with no reserve for $21,000.
Amongst the outstanding vehicle results was the $31,000 paid for a remarkably original and unmolested Australian-assembled 1965 Ford Galaxie 500 sedan with just 18,000 miles (believed genuine) on its odometer.
A smart-looking Tangerine 1973 Holden HQ Monaro GTS 5.0 sedan brought $33,000 and a 1966 Jaguar E-Type Series I 2+2 coupe made a strong $39,000.
Pre-War classics were in strong demand, headed by a beautiful green and white 1934 Nash 1220 Sedan selling for $30,000 after a painstaking restoration believed to have cost almost double its sale price.
A lovely Chocolate and Cream 1930 Essex Super 6 Sedan sold for $12,500; a 1924 Dodge Tourer ‘restorer’ sold with no reserve for $9,250 and a refurbished 1934 Hillman ‘Ruskin’ sedan made $9,000.
Post-War British and American cars also did well, with an imposing Dark Blue right hand drive 1948 Packard Series 22 Sedan selling for $25,000, while a restored 1949 Morris Minor ‘Low Light’ sedan made $9,500 – the same as a 1950 Ford Prefect in stunning restored condition.
The 20 vehicles sold with no reserve in the auction also produced strong figures, with a plain-looking white 1969 Holden HK Kingswood sedan bringing applause when it sold well above its high estimate for $17,000 – half as much again as the price achieved by an imposing Burgundy 1970 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow saloon that was snapped up for $12,500.
The Kingswood, which was factory- fitted with Holden’s then-new 307-cid V8 engine and two-speed automatic transmission, is believed to have started its life as a police car. Adding to its appeal was after-market air conditioning, while it had also been converted to ‘dual fuel’, making it an attractive and relatively economical ‘cruiser’.
Other ‘no reserve’ cars to do well included a very original and well-presented cream 1971 Citroen DS21 Sedan with five-speed manual transmission ($12,000); a Turquoise 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SL imported from the United States in 1992 and equipped with both soft and hard tops ($18,500); a 1964 Jaguar Mk10 3.8 Saloon ($8,000) and a 1973 Holden LJ Torana that had enjoyed just one lady owner from new that went for $4,000.

Bonhams & Goodman’s offering of 67 lots on 24 November 2009 sold very well with a total of $2,057,400 including Buyer’s Premium or 71.3% by value and 70% by volume.

The biggest seller on the night was Charles Blackman’s The Game of Chess 1956 which knocked down for $720,000 IBP.

An historically important collection of photographs taken in the 1860s sold to the Bendigo Art Gallery for $36,000 IBP – a great buy given that many of the rare collection of 123 photographs are thought to be the only existing views of key landmarks of colonial Melbourne and Victoria.

However the stars of the show were undoubtedly the beautiful Ellis Rowan watercolours, very popular at the viewings, sold one after the other, many exceeding their pre sale estimates by tenfold. With conservative estimates of $2,500 – 3,500 and $4,000 – 6,000 placed on them prior to the auction, these stunning pictures were eagerly snapped up by bidders for as much as $31,200 IBP each.

Geoffrey Smith, Director and National Head of Art, was delighted with the result “Despite the most expensive lot failing to find a buyer on the night, our clearance rate by value and volume was an exceptional result. Extraordinary interest in Australian women artists was continued by fierce bidding for Ellis Rowan and Margaret Preston.”