A grand total of £2,132,257 worth of classic metal was sold at Bonhams’ spring sale, held as part of last weekend’s 37th Carole Nash International Motorcycle Show, held at the Stafford Showground.
Star of the auction was a 1949 Vincent HRD 988cc White Shadow Series-C project, which was sold to an online buyer for a staggering £163,900 – well over twice its pre-sale estimate.
As always, the sale opened with an assembly of old parts and memorabilia, including leathers worn by racing greats Mike Hailwood and Graeme Crosby. Crosby’s 1983 6 Hour Castrol Australian Endurance Grand Prix gear almost doubled it’s estimate, fetching £2750, while Hailwood’s Bathurst Grand Prix leathers went for an astonishing £7250.
The 348cc Velocette ridden to the 1948 350cc world championship, and the 1949 Isle of Man Junior TT, by Freddie Frith was another star of the show, earning a round of applause following some fierce bidding that saw the hammer drop at £135,900.
James Stensel, Head of Bonhams Motorcycle Department (UK), commented: “It has been another tremendous sale for Bonhams at Stafford, with 90% of lots selling and a total of £2,132,257 achieved overall. It was fantastic to see British marques continuing to perform so well across the board, ranging from pre-war Brough Superiors to 60s Manx racers. It was our first sale featuring a World Championship-winning machine, and we were thrilled to see it sell for such a high price. The highlight of the sale, the Vincent White Shadow, proves that barn-find machines remain as desirable as ever. The percentage of lots sold reflects continued buyer confidence. Bidding was brisk throughout the sale, pushing values well beyond the pre-sale auction estimates.”
Malcolm Barber, co-chairman of Bonhams and the auctioneer for the sale added: “Even after 30 years of Stafford sales, our auction continues to go from strength to strength. This year perfectly illustrated Bonhams continued dominance in the world of collectors motorcycles, and with several single-owner collections and an enormous breadth of models on offer, it was pleasing to see such strong interest from bidders both at home and further afield. Being surrounded by like-minded enthusiasts at the show is always a pleasure, and we were delighted to bring the show to a close on such a high note.’
