Dear Santa... what have you brought to London and New York?

Wind the clock back a couple of years to RM’s last bash in the Big Apple and a big-ticket catalogue delivered a mighty $72.5m payday. Bonhams’ last heavy-hitting December auction was highlighted by the Ecurie Ecosse cars in 2013. Is there anything in this year’s offerings worthy of a note up the chimney?
 
At a glance:
 
* Bonhams in Bond St, 2 December. 34 cars and motorcycles. Total mid-estimate net £15m. 0 cars at No Reserve
* RM Sotheby’s in New York, 6 December. 32 cars. Total mid-estimate net $54.3m. 34% of cars at No Reserve
* Bonhams’ headliners: £2m to £2.5m Ferrari 288 GTO and ex-Paul McCartney Aston Martin DB5
* RM’s headliners: $14m to $17m, ex-Le Mans 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione and ex-Phil Hill Jaguar C-type ‘XKC 007’ (above)

Bonhams in Bond St
 
In 2016, an Aston topped the results (£3.7m gross at 67% sell-through by number). This year, a number of Newport Pagnell cars are up for grabs, headed by the ex-Paul McCartney DB5 (above), a well-known Aston he owned for several years.
 
Estimated at a chart-topping £1.25m to £1.5m, it’s in “truly immaculate condition” according to Bonhams, Beatles connection apart. Oddly, despite several recent restorations, it’s no longer in its original colours of Sierra Blue with black. Come Saturday it will all be down to the draw of the McCartney name. Who predicted the $17.75m Paul Newman Rolex Daytona?
 
Earlier in the sale you can buy a DB5 with a more exciting spec. Left-hand drive, factory Vantage engine and original blue leather seats: the ex-Caramulo Museum car is a rare chance to buy the DB5 to own in unmolested condition. It’s estimated at £600k to £800k. We tip it.
 
The red, RHD Lancia Aurelia B24 Spider America is ‘on the money’ at £750k to £950k. The 22,700km covered by the 288 GTO puts it in the middle ground of values: £2m to £2.5m prices it – with Bonhams’ chunky premium – at $3m. By comparison, RM’s 729km GTO cost the buyer $3.9m at Maranello this September, but wasn’t ‘tax paid’ in Europe.

RM Sotheby’s in New York
 
The world has moved on since RM’s previous blockbuster in New York. Today’s market is more discerning, with many older players quietly rearranging their collections without putting in extra cash – or attracting publicity. It’s harder now to consign the big-ticket lots for auction.
 
RM’s catalogue reflects this, but still includes two significant road-racing cars. The long-wheelbase, open-headlamp 1959 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider (above) is a genuine alloy Comp’ car that finished fifth at Le Mans. An estimate of $14m to $17m values it on a par with Gooding’s covered-headlight, alloy Competizione ‘1603 GT’ that made $18.15m at Pebble Beach in 2016. RM’s New York sale ‘1451 GT’ was last sold at auction in August 2009 for $4.95m, suggesting around 200% appreciation in eight years.
 
Another highlight also previously sold by RM is ‘XKC 007’ (top), the Jaguar C-type first driven by future World Champion Phil Hill. Though not a factory or Ecurie Ecosse car, it’s a solid, ‘no stories’ C-type. Estimated at $5.5m to $7m today, it changed hands for $2.53m back in 2009. It should sell.
 
A reading of the fine print in the catalogue reveals that both these cars’ consignors have been guaranteed minimum prices. Others, such as the LaFerrari and F12tdf, have marks signifying that “RM Sotheby’s owns the lot in whole or in part or has an economic interest in the lot equivalent to an ownership interest”. This is common practice in the art world.
 
Closer scrutiny also shows that for this auction RM will charge buyers a premium of 12% on the first $250k and 10% on the balance, bringing the sale into step with RM’s activities in Europe. There’s no word on whether this will be extended to Scottsdale in January.
 
The rest of the catalogue reflects current tastes (Porsche 918 'Weissach' Spyder, 993 GT2, etc.), while meeting the expectations of more classic enthusiasts (Dino 246 GTS, ‘Daytona’, DB5 Convertible).
 
We’ll be there reporting the results as they come in.

Photos by Bonhams / RM Sotheby's