Bonhams celebrates inaugural Mercedes-Benz auction with €12 million sale
A 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500 K special roadster featuring unique period coachwork, sold at €3.1 million (£2.5 million), with proceeds to benefit Cancer and Alzheimer’s charities. Photo: Bonhams.
STUTTGART.- With almost 50 cars consigned from clients around the world, and models of the marque spanning over 100 years, the Bonhams Mercedes-Benz sale was a resounding success - with an incredible €11,855,925 (£9,417,870) total.
A 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500 K special roadster featuring unique period coachwork, sold at €3.1 million (£2.5 million), with proceeds to benefit Cancer and Alzheimer's charities.
A further sale highlight, the 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Cabriolet A realised €2.2 million (£1.7 million).
Spanning a century: a 1901 Benz Ideal 7hp Twin Cylinder "Contra-Motor" Vis-à-vis sold at over four-times its estimate for €471,500 (£374,541)
The ex-Mika Hakkinen, 2005 AMG-Mercedes C-Class DTM Touring Car, set a new benchmark at €460,000.
With almost 50 cars consigned from clients around the world, and models of the marque spanning over 100 years, the Bonhams Mercedes-Benz sale was a resounding success - with an incredible €11,855,925 (£9,417,870) total.
Malcolm Barber, Bonhams Co-Chairman and auctioneer on the day, said: "Today's sale demonstrated the fantastic diversity and engineering excellence available from the Mercedes-Benz classic motor car range. We're delighted to have placed a marker in the history books, as the first ever auction to be held in the new Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart, and Bonhams' largest Mercedes-Benz sale ever - achieving almost €12 million for some very happy bidders."
A highlight of the sale due to its charitable proceeds, the final hammer of the 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500 K special roadster was met with applause throughout the room, selling at €3.1 million (£2.5 million). A unique variation of Mercedes-Benz top of the line 1930s luxury sports car, it was generously donated to benefit the causes of both the Swedish Cancer Society and The Swedish Alzheimer's Foundation charities.
A further sale highlight and the earliest model in the Stuttgart sale, a 1901 Benz Ideal 7hp Twin Cylinder "Contra-Motor" Vis-à-vis. It was designed by German engineer and Mercedes-Benz founding father, Carl Benz. In today's historic Mercedes-Benz museum sale, a bidding battle played out to take home this piece of iconic automotive history – hammer falling at €471,500 (£374,541), some four-times higher than its pre-auction estimate.
1901 Benz Ideal 7hp Twin Cylinder "Contra-Motor" Vis-à-vis. Registration no. Former UK Registration "L 51". Engine no. 2843. Sold for €471,500. Photo: Bonhams.
Elsewhere in the sale, the 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Cabriolet A realised €2.2 million (£1.7 million) to a telephone bidder; at almost double its estimate a 1976 Unimog 406 Doppelkabine 4x4 Utility sold for €82,800 (£65,700); and a 600 Pullman, once owned by the Chinese Government and used by General Chen Li, a military leader during the Chinese Communist Revolution and a close associate of Chairman Mao Zedong, sold to a telephone bid for €172,500 (£137,254).
1936 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Cabriolet A. Chassis no. 130946. Engine no. 130946. Sold for €2,242,500. Photo: Bonhams.
1976 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406 Doppelkabine 4x4 Utility. Chassis no. 406.145-10-027969. Sold for €82,800. Photo: Bonhams.
James Knight, Bonhams Global Head of Motoring, said: "We conceived this auction with our friends and partners at Mercedes-Benz, and I'm thrilled with the result. Michael Bock, head of Mercedes-Benz Classic and Managing Director of the Mercedes-Benz Museum, along with his team were the perfect hosts. Finally, we were delighted that the push-through of cars which allowed clients to view the classics on offer throughout the sale created such a visual spectacle for all to enjoy."
Michael Bock, head of Mercedes-Benz Classic and Customer Centre, said, "We were delighted to welcome Bonhams to our home here at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart. The auction was a great success and attracted a lot of exposure for the Mercedes-Benz brand. We are working with Bonhams to ensure even greater quality can be offered in the future. This partnership can definitely grow."
The Mercedes-Benz Museum maps the entire history of the world's oldest car manufacturer with a unique variety of exhibits. A total of 1500 exhibits, including 160 vehicles, can be seen on an area of 16,500 square metres.
The ex-Rolf Meyer. 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Cabriolet. Coachwork by H J Mulliner. Chassis no. 123683. Engine no. 123683. Sold for €690,000. Photo: Bonhams.
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL 'Gullwing' Coupé. Chassis no. 198.040-5500852. Engine no. 198.980-5500840. Sold for €1,380,000. Photo: Bonhams.
30.000kms from new. 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster. Chassis no. 198.042-8500212. Engine no. 198.042-8500219. Sold for €920,000. Photo: Bonhams.
Tankard, late 1600s, by Andreas Brachfeldt (Russian, 1661-1697)
Tankard, c. 1680, Germany, Augsburg, 17th century
Tankard, c. 1680, Germany, Augsburg, 17th century, silver, Diameter of mouth - w:11.50 cm (w:4 1/2 inches) Overall - h:16.55 cm (h:6 1/2 inches). Gift of Caesar A. and Thomas F. Grasselli, in memory of Mrs. Thomas S. Grasselli 1955.353, Cleveland Museum of Art © 2013 Cleveland Museum of Art.
A diamond set corsage ornament in the form of Cherry Blossom by Lalique for Vever
A diamond set corsage ornament in the form of Cherry Blossom by Lalique for Vever. Photo courtesy Wartski London
A brooch in the form of a chrysanthemum set with Mississippi pearls by Tiffany, c.1904.
A brooch in the form of a chrysanthemum set with Mississippi pearls by Tiffany, c.1904. Photo courtesy Wartski London
Exhibited: Japonisme: from Falize to Fabergé, the Goldsmith and Japan, Wartski, 2011, number 119.
A diamond set crab brooch
A diamond set crab brooch. Photo courtesy Wartski London
finely depicted in platinum and pave-set with 5.90 carats of brilliant-cut diamonds, by Wartski London. Width at widest point 5.5 cm
A diamond serpent necklace, Paris, circa 1919
A diamond serpent necklace, Paris, circa 1919. Photo courtesy Wartski London
in the form of a snake, the platinum body finely set with old brilliant cut diamonds in a bombé scale pattern, its body entwined to form the neck.
Attributed to the Lavabre workshop. Lavabre supplied Cartier Paris with diamond set jewels and a necklace of identical design made by Lavabre for Cartier is held in the Cartier Collection.
See Cartier 1900-1939, Judy , British Museum Press, 1997, number 201.
A pair of platinum mounted gem-set brooches by Boucheron, Paris. c.1920
A pair of platinum mounted gem-set brooches by Boucheron, Paris. c.1920. Photo courtesy Wartski London
in the form of cascading cherry blossom, the stems enamelled black bearing brilliant-cut diamond and cabochon ruby-set flowers.
Exhibited: Japonisme: from Falize to Fabergé, the Goldsmith and Japan, Wartski, 2011, number 119.
Beaker, before 1720, manufacturer Meissen Porcelain Factory
Beaker, before 1720, manufacturer Meissen Porcelain Factory, porcelain, interior gilded, Diameter - w:5.50 cm (w:2 1/8 inches) Overall - h:9.10 w:6.85 cm (h:3 9/16 w:2 11/16 inches). Gift of R. Thornton Wilson in memory of his wife, Florence Ellsworth Wilson 1952.452, Cleveland Museum of Art © 2013 Cleveland Museum of Art.
Saucer, c. 1723, manufacturer Meissen Porcelain Factory
Saucer, c. 1723, manufacturer Meissen Porcelain Factory, porcelain, Overall - h:2.15 w:12.30 cm (h:13/16 w:4 13/16 inches). Gift of Rev. Alfred Duane Pell 1919.186, Cleveland Museum of Art © 2013 Cleveland Museum of Art.
