Historics’ £6.2m 18 July 2020 auction

In a busy month for the UK classic car auction scene, Historics set the ball rolling mid-July, offering 182 motor cars at a pastoral lakeside setting near Windsor. The sale was conducted live, though many bids were made online or over the telephone.

The open venue suited a warm midsummer sale, though is unlikely to be used when the nights draw in later this year.

At a glance:

* Gross (motor cars): £6,234,087
* Percentage sold by number: 80%
* Top-selling car: Blue 1964 Aston Martin DB5 £572,000 gross, £520,000 net (est. £540k to £640k)
* Well sold? Either of the two DB5s. The other green car (pictured, top) was not so good, but still achieved £525k with Historics across-the-board 10% buyer’s premium
* Well bought? Its Morning Frost paintwork might not for the faint-hearted, but how about former Aston CEO Dr Ulrich Bez’s old Vanquish S for £87,450, way below low estimate?

The generally good DB5s both sold for typical ‘auction’ money – still expect to pay £700k for an immaculate car from a respected dealer. The DB5 – with that film connection – remains a favourite of small business owners who’ve just sold their companies, the gift they’ve always promised themselves. Compare and contrast with the fate of the two DB4 S2s: one failed to sell, the other, a typically ‘club’ car of the 1980s, went for £275k with premium.

The cover car Ferrari ‘Daytona’ Spider conversion failed to sell. In happier times for the model this early berlinetta prototype, once used as a road car by works driver Arturo Merzario, would have warranted conversion back to original spec. Sadly, the economics for that just do not add up in summer 2020.

Elsewhere in the broad catalogue, most boxes (XKs, ‘Pagoda’, E-types, Mini Coopers) were ticked and accurate valuations meant only 37% sold below low estimate.

K500 comment:

Now in its 10th year, Historics has built up a name for itself as a popular weekend venue at which to buy and sell classic cars. The auctions, easily accessible just outside London, are always well attended. With the sub-£125k end of the UK market flourishing, the company has done well out of it. To always be able to move on the occasional ‘big’ car – generally a DB Aston, MD Mark Perkins’ favoured marque and model – is a big plus.

Historics at Windsorview Lakes, 18 July 2020 – results

Total gross cars: £6,234,087
Number of cars not sold: 36
Number of cars withdrawn: 4
Total number of cars: 178
Number sold: 143
Percentage cars sold by number: 80%
Percentage by value average low/high estimate: 60%
Percentage of cars sold below low estimate: 37%
Percentage of cars sold not met avge of estimates: 55%
Percentage of cars sold met/exceeded top estimate: 15%
Average value of cars sold: £43,902
Average year of cars offered: 1978
Percentage of cars offered at No Reserve: 9%

Photo by Historics