Happy Campers: Artcurial conducts sell-out, €3.8m Trigano collection sale

In an epic, day-long marathon, the car collection of Resistance hero, businessman and outdoor holiday magnate André Trigano was disposed of at his home town of Gibel in southern France.

After the war, in which he helped downed Allied airman escape the Nazis, Trigano started a camping holiday business that won the contract to supply tents to the newly established Club Med. He subsequently founded the Campéole group of 40 campsites in France and Corsica, which he sold in 2009. Trigano is a lifelong car fan and experienced racing driver, having competed on the Monte Carlo Rally and Tour de France Automobile.

The catalogue was a throwback to Artcurial’s 2015 Baillon sale, comprising as it did a broad selection of older classics in various states of repair. Many, if not most cars were for restoration; all were ‘museum quality’.

At a glance:

* Gross (motor cars): €3,849,101
* Percentage sold by number: 100%
* Top-selling car: 1967 Lamborghini 400 GT 2+2 €468,000 gross, €400,000 net (est. €400k to €600k)
* Well sold? Too much to choose from, but how about €63k gross for the 1976 Chevrolet Blazer Cheyenne K5 350ci estimated at €20k to €30k?
* Well bought? These events are more about taking part and all the fun of the fair. We expect all 169 cars went to buyers genuinely thrilled with their new purchases

All bar five entries were at No Reserve. The exceptions included the top-selling 1967 Lamborghini 400 GT 2+2 (pictured, top), a car bought new by Trigano in Amaranto (dark red) but subsequently repainted in brighter Rosso Corsa. At €468,000 including Artcurial’s formidable 17% buyer’s premium, this was a good price. Another was the 1970 Aston Martin DBS V8 that sold well over its upper estimate of €130k for €181.35k all-in. Trigano owned this car almost from new. Paris-delivered and with manual ’box and factory a/c, the originally grey Aston had a lot going for, albeit at a hefty cost of restoration.

Elsewhere, it was a familiar story of dusty local-market saloons intermixed with some classic Americana and more modern cars from the family’s fleet. Every car sold, more than three-quarters above top estimate – proving once again the pulling power and romance of No Reserve.

Artcurial André Trigano auction, 13 September 2020 - results

Gross: €3,849,101
Number of cars not sold: 0
Number of cars withdrawn: 0
Total number of cars: 169
Number sold: 169
Percentage cars sold by number: 100%
Percentage by value average low/high estimate: 119%
Percentage of cars sold below low estimate: 3%
Percentage of cars sold not met avge of estimates: 11%
Percentage of cars sold met/exceeded top estimate: 80%
Average year of cars offered: 1955
Average price of cars sold: €22,776
Percentage of cars offered at No Reserve: 97%

Photo by Artcurial