A Pair of Pope-Toledos

1904 Pope-Toledo Four-Cylinder Rear-Entrance Tonneau

Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 7, 2019

Photo – Bonhams

Once upon a time, there was a car called the Toledo, and it produced between 1901 and 1903, in… well, Toledo, Ohio. They sold both steam and gasoline-powered cars. In 1904, Albert Pope bought the factory, and the cars became known as the Pope-Toledo, though they were gasoline-only. Of all of his different brands, these were the best cars that Pope built. His flagship marque, if you will.

1904 was the first year for Pope-Toledo production and two models were offered: a twin and a four-cylinder. This is a nice example of the latter and would’ve cost $3,500 when new. It is powered by a 24 horsepower, 3.4-liter inline-four.

It looks to be a great example – and it’s wearing white tires! It should sell for between $150,000-$220,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $134,400.

Update: Sold, Bonhams Philadelphia 2019, $100,800.


1906 Pope-Toledo Model XII Roi-des-Belges Touring

Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 7, 2019

Photo – Bonhams

Here’s another great, large Pope-Toledo. The company’s 1906 model range consisted of three models, with the Type XII being the most expensive, largest, and most powerful. A few body styles were offered and this car carries a five-passenger Roi-des-Belges touring car body. The whole package would’ve come out to about $5,000 when new.

Power is from a 5.8-liter inline-four good for 35/40 horsepower. Pope-Toledo only lasted through 1909, and they aren’t too common today. This one has known history back to the 1950s and should bring between $280,000-$350,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

Update: Sold $318,500.

1904 Pope-Toledo

1904 Pope-Toledo Four-Cylinder Rear-Entrance Tonneau

Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 7, 2019

Photo – Bonhams

Once upon a time, there was a car called the Toledo, and it produced between 1901 and 1903, in… well, Toledo, Ohio. They sold both steam and gasoline-powered cars. In 1904, Albert Pope bought the factory, and the cars became known as the Pope-Toledo, though they were gasoline-only. Of all of his different brands, these were the best cars that Pope built. His flagship marque, if you will.

1904 was the first year for Pope-Toledo production and two models were offered: a twin and a four-cylinder. This is a nice example of the latter and would’ve cost $3,500 when new. It is powered by a 24 horsepower, 3.4-liter inline-four.

It looks to be a great example – and it’s wearing white tires! It should sell for between $150,000-$220,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $134,400.

Update: Sold, Bonhams Philadelphia 2019, $100,800.

1904 Renault

1904 Renault Type N-B 14/20HP Four-Cylinder Swing-Seat Tonneau

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | November 4, 2016

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Every year there are a number of pre-1910 Renaults that come up for sale. Bonhams almost always has at least one at their London-to-Brighton sale and we never get to feature them. That changes this year, as Bonhams has multiple Renaults and we’ve selected this one – the earliest Renault we’ve yet featured.

The first of Louis Renault’s cars were single-cylinder De Dion-powered. Four-cylinders came in 1904 – this one is 3.0-liters in capacity and makes 14/20 horsepower. The body on this car looks remarkably like the Aster that is also offered at this sale.

The history of this car is that one family owned it from the 1920s through the 1980s when it was bought by the present owner, who restored it completely. It’s been upgraded slightly to run more reliably and has nice weather protection for a car its age. This, one of the first four-cylinder Renaults, should bring between $310,000-$340,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $340,429.

A French Aster

1904 Aster 16/20HP Four-Cylinder Four-Seat Rear-Entrance Tonneau

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | November 4, 2016

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Aster was a French marque that built motorized vehicles between 1900 and 1910. They were also a major engine manufacturer – at one point they claimed to be the provider of engines for over 130 other companies. They should not be confused with the British Aster marque of the 1920s (though the British company started out building engines under license from this one).

This car is powered by a 2.7-liter straight-four making 16/20 horsepower. It’s well-appointed and Bonhams makes the case that it’s about as perfect a car for entrance in the London-to-Brighton run as you can get. The body that is on this car is not original to the chassis, but is period correct and was applied during a restoration.

What you see here is a runner – this is a veteran car that you can drive considerable distance with a fair amount of confidence, because, as the lot description says, it is a practical old car. Or as practical as a 112 year old car can be. It should sell for between $290,000-$340,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $263,484.

A Pair of Old Heavy Trucks

1917 Saurer Four-Cylinder Truck

Offered by Bonhams | Beaulieu, U.K. | September 5, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Adolph Saurer AG was around from 1903 through 1982. That’s a pretty good run, especially considering they abandoned the passenger car business more or less before the company got going.

What’s great about this truck is that it is WWI-era. So many of these trucks were either 1. destroyed during the war itself or 2. scrapped to make newer, more reliable, quicker, and efficient trucks and other equipment for WWII. So to have one that has survived is amazing. It’s powered by a 5.0-liter straight-four.

While it might be slow as dirt, it’s exceptionally interesting and carries a nice restoration and relatively recent mechanical freshening. It should bring between $25,000-$31,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $35,020.


1909 Ariès 3-Ton Truck

Offered by Bonhams | Beaulieu, U.K. | September 5, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Ariès was a French vehicle manufacturer and we’ve featured a couple of their cars here on the site – but this is the first heavy commercial vehicle from the firm that we’ve seen. Ariès existed from 1902 through 1937 and commercial vehicle production began with the model above (some sources list 1910, which would make this a very early example).

What’s great about this truck is that it is pre-WWI. Sure, it was probably used by the French Army, but it pre-dates required harsh military wartime treatment. It could’ve delivered produce in the early days of the automobile. Plus, it’s a dually.

The engine here is a 5.0-liter straight-four and everything has been restored. It is described as “a joy to drive” and while I’m sure it’s interesting, it’s probably a little terrifying as well. At any rate, it should bring between $25,000-$31,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $31,518.

1917 Saurer Truck

1917 Saurer Four-Cylinder Truck

Offered by Bonhams | Beaulieu, U.K. | September 5, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Adolph Saurer AG was around from 1903 through 1982. That’s a pretty good run, especially considering they abandoned the passenger car business more or less before the company got going.

What’s great about this truck is that it is WWI-era. So many of these trucks were either 1. destroyed during the war itself or 2. scrapped to make newer, more reliable, quicker, and efficient trucks and other equipment for WWII. So to have one that has survived is amazing. It’s powered by a 5.0-liter straight-four.

While it might be slow as dirt, it’s exceptionally interesting and carries a nice restoration and relatively recent mechanical freshening. It should bring between $25,000-$31,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $35,020.

CGV Side-Entrance Phaeton

1904 CGV 6.25-Litre Type H1 Four-Cylinder Side-Entrance Phaeton

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | October 31, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

CGV started in 1901 in France. It was founded by three men: Fernand Charron, Leonce Girardot, and Emile Voigt. As you can see, they built some pretty impressive cars (compare this 1904 model to some of the other, much more basic pre-1905 cars from this sale). But in 1906, Girardot and Voigt left the company and, impressively, Charron continued to produce cars under his own name until 1930.

The Type H1 seen here uses a 6.25-litre straight-four making almost 33 horsepower. This car was purchased new by a wealthy champagne baron who died later that year. The history of the car is unknown after that until 1968 when it was brought to the U.K. and sold the following year to a collector who had it until 2000.

The original body was gone by the end of the 1960s and the replacement body was sold in 1972. So this body was commissioned in the style of a period phaeton. Everything was overhauled in 2000 and it has been used extensively since.

Charron automobiles are seen relatively regularly, but CGVs, not so much. Only 79 examples of the Type H were built between the end of 1903 and all of 1904. This one should sell for between $630,000-$710,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this awesome sale.

Update: Not sold.

Clement-Talbot

1903 Clement-Talbot Type CT4K 18hp Four-Cylinder Roi-d’Italie Tonneau by Rothschild

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | November 1, 2013

1903 Clement-Talbot Type CT4K 18hp Four-Cylinder Roi-d'Italie Tonneau by Rothschild

This is one of the stars of the show at what has become one of my very favorite auctions of the year. One thing that makes me happy about this car is that it comes from one of the most confusing car company histories ever: the Clement and Talbot mess. I find it fascinating. Continue reading

Nagant Berline

1918 Nagant Four-Cylinder Berline

For sale at Retrolegends | Valkenswaard, Netherlands

Tell me “Valkenswaard” isn’t the most fearsome sounding name for a northern European city. It sounds like a battle in Norse mythology involving a giant anthropomorphic bird and a giant invincible sword. Anyway, this 1918 Nagant has been on sale for a while, and I really like it.

Nagant was an arms manufacturer founded in Liége, Belgium in 1859. The name is probably most familiar to firearms types because of the famous Mosin-Nagant rifle that was put into use by the Russian Empire 1891.

Nagant wasn’t the only firearms manufacturer to turn to automobiles (BSA comes immediately to mind). Cars were introduced in 1900 and they were mostly licensed copies from other manufacturers. Later cars of their own design used high-revving (for the time) engines capable of up to 4,000 rpm. I’m unsure as to the power output of this car, but it may have the sidevalve 14/16hp engine introduced by Nagant in 1913.

These were known to be well-made, fast and highly durable cars. The company was acquired by Imperia in 1931 but production had wrapped up in 1928. Price is “available upon request,” which probably means it is too high, as it hasn’t sold in the years it has seemingly been sitting there. Click here for more info (well okay, less info, but it is the site where it is for sale).

A Wonderful 1904 Delaugère & Clayette

1904 Delaugère & Clayette Type 4A Side-Entrance Tonneau

Offered by Bonhams | London, England | November 2, 2012

Isn’t that a beautiful machine? Delaugère & Clayette is one of, what I refer to, as the “French De’s” – a list of French automotive manufacturers including: De Dietrich, Decauville, De Dion-Bouton, Delahaye, Delage, Delaunay-Belleville and, of course, Delaugère & Clayette. Such an exotic-sounding list, isn’t it?

Delaugère began as a carriage maker in the mid-1800s. Around 1898, they built their first powered three-wheeler and come 1901 they were an established automotive manufacturer. In 1904, Maurice Clayette joined the company named after Jean-Pierre Delaugère, the original founder, and the automotive concern was renamed Delaugère & Clayette. The 1920s were a struggle for the company and their factory was purchased by Panhard, with production ceasing in 1926.

This is a model 4A. It uses a 6.3-liter four-cylinder F-head engine making 24 horsepower (Delaugère & Clayette produced another model using a 15.0-liter four-cylinder!). Double chains drive the rear wheels through a four-speed transmission. This car was completely restored about a year ago and it is stunning. The body is not original – it’s a period-correct replacement that replaced another non-original body that was on the car previously. This one looks better in black with brass trim. Look at where the engine resides – underneath that big, square black box with those big radiators out front held on with brass bars. It’s amazing to look at.

This car is expected to sell for between $350,000-$420,000. For more information, click here. And for the rest of Bonhams’ Veteran Car Sale lineup, click here.

Update: Sold $360,500.