Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Auburn, Indiana | May 29-June 1, 2019
Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s
Haynes, which got its start as Haynes-Apperson, was actually around for quite a long time, considering their rarity today. Haynes-Apperson sold their first car in 1898 but parted ways in 1904. Haynes soldiered on alone for another 21 years until they went bankrupt in 1924 and were liquidated in 1925 – the same year company founder Elwood Haynes died.
The Model 60 five-passenger touring car was actually the most inexpensive car the company ever built. And look at it – it’s a big, imposing thing. Power is from a 50 horsepower straight-six. Five body styles were offered, and this one cost $1,295 when new. A 1925 Model T would’ve run you $290, for comparison.
This car is an AACA award-winner (1993) and exists as a rare example of one of America’s pioneering automobile marques. It should sell for between $25,000-$35,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Offered by RM Sotheby’s | St. Louis, Missouri | May 4-5, 2019
Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s
The Mason, as it so classily says on the radiator surround, was founded by financier Edward Mason and engineer Fred Duesenberg. Yes, that Duesenberg. Based in Des Moines from 1906 through 1910, the company was purchased by Maytag and relocated to Waterloo, Iowa. Yes, that Maytag. The Duesenberg brothers left for Indiana in 1913, and Mason closed in 1914.
From 1906 through 1908, Mason only offered two cars – a touring and a runabout. Both were powered by the same Fred Duesenberg-designed 3.2-liter twin-cylinder engine that made 24 horsepower. Mason cars had a reputation for excellent engineering. This one has white tires. Score!
This is one of about 25 cars built by Mason in 1906, their first year of manufacture. Previously of the Harrah collection, the car was restored long ago. It has five owners since new, and you can be the sixth. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Offered by RM Sotheby’s | St. Louis, Missouri | May 4-5, 2019
Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s
Harry C. Stutz resigned from Stutz in 1919 after losing control of the company. He then very quickly shuffled across town, in this case, Indianapolis, and launched the H.C.S. Motor Car Company. His first cars were delivered in 1920, and they were somewhat similar to the cars from his earlier venture.
An emphasis on the sporting nature of H.C.S. automobiles was important to the company, and an H.C.S. won the 1923 Indy 500. Production lasted through 1925. About 2,175 cars were produced in that time.
Between 1923 and 1925, the company offered the Series IV and Series VI. The IV, as seen here, was available in four body styles, with the 5-passenger “Model 4” touring car costing $2,200. Power was from a 52 horsepower straight-four. This one is expected to bring between $50,000-$75,000 at auction today. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Offered by Bonhams | Tupelo, Mississippi | April 27, 2019
Photo – Bonhams
The Owen Magnetic was a technical marvel of its day. Designed by engineer Justus B. Entz and produced by Raymond and Ralph Owen beginning in 1915, the car was famous for using an early series electric hybrid drivetrain.
Basically, the 34 horsepower straight-six powered a generator that turned the driveshaft, and in turn, the rear wheels. Speed was controlled by a selector on the steering wheel. It’s a pretty complicated set up, which made the cars super expensive when new. This one, for instance, would’ve cost $3,750. And it was the cheapest one you could get.
Between 1916 and 1919, the Owen Magnetic was actually built by the people behind the Rauch & Lang as well as the Baker Electric cars. It outlasted them, but ultimately folded in 1921, and the last two years’ worth of production were all headed overseas. This rare example should bring between $80,000-$110,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Offered by Bonhams | Tupelo, Mississippi | April 27, 2019
Photo – Bonhams
Born in Canada, William A. Paterson moved to Flint, Michigan in 1869 to build carriages. In 1908 he built a prototype automobile, and by 1910, cars were his only line of business. There were a lot of car companies in America in the 1910s. Some were big and are still around today. Some were small and only lasted a few years. And then were companies like Paterson who fell right in the middle: they built a fair number of cars and lasted, as Paterson did, for a solid 15-ish years (until 1923, in this case).
The 1910 Paterson model range consisted of the Model 30, the company’s first four-cylinder car. It is a 30 horsepower, 3.3-liter inline-four. Three body styles were offered, each costing $1,400. Only 450 cars were built in 1910.
This car was once owned by the director of Dumbo and was then acquired by the Harrah collection. The Tupelo museum bought it from a Harrah’s dispersal sale in 1986. It should now sell for between $25,000-$35,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Offered by Bonhams | Tupelo, Mississippi | April 26-27, 2019
Photo – Bonhams
Anyone with any degree of mechanical knowledge could’ve opened an automobile company before 1910. In this case, J.B. Bartholomew of Peoria, Illinois, made peanut and coffee roasters before building his first car in 1901. In 1903 the Glidemobile went into production, and the name was shortened the following year to just Glide.
The 1910 Glide model range consisted of the Model 45 which was powered by a 45 horsepower 5.8-liter inline-four. Three factory body styles were offered, a three-passenger roadster, the five-passenger Scout touring, and a seven-passenger Special touring. This is the middle car, which cost $2,500 when new.
It is a larger car than the photos would have you believe, and it is one of only a few Glides known to exist. Formerly a part of the Imperial Palace collection, it is the first car we are featuring from the now-closed Tupelo Automobile Museum. It should sell for between $38,000-$53,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
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.
1904 Peerless Type 8 Style K King of Belgium Touring by Quinby
Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 7, 2019
Photo – Bonhams
Peerless was one of the finest American motor cars you could buy before WWII. And their obsession with quality started early, even if these early cars were a little more innovative than their later creations.
The Type 8 was one of three models you could buy from the company in 1904. This car carries “King of Belgium” coachwork from the J.M. Quinby Company of Newark, New Jersey, and power is from 24 horsepower inline-four.
This car has been in collector hands since the 1950s and was first restored in the 60s. It’s the type of car you only ever see in museums. But it can be yours – for between $400,000-$480,000. Click here for more info.
Update: Sold $698,000.
1904 Thomas Flyer Model 22 Rear-Entrance Tonneau
Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 7, 2019
Photo – Bonhams
The first Thomas cars were sold in 1903, but the 1904 Flyer would be the car that would take the company to great heights before they ultimately went out of business in 1918. In 1904, the Flyer was the company’s first multi-cylinder automobile: a 24 horsepower, 4.3-liter inline-three.
This car is being sold from the estate of Harold Coker, who owned quite a few Thomas Flyers. It is said that this is the only Model 22 Flyer remaining, making it the earliest such example of the legendary name that won the famed New York to Paris race in 1908. It should bring between $400,000-$500,000. Click here for more info.
Update: Sold $489,000.
1906 Stevens-Duryea Model U Five-Passenger Touring
Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 7, 2019
Photo – Bonhams
After the Duryea brothers parted ways, Frank teamed up with the Stevens Arms Company to begin production of a finely engineered automobile called the Stevens-Duryea. The company existed in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts from 1901 through 1927. These big early tourers were really their best stuff.
The Model U was technically a 1907 model, but it doesn’t matter. Because it’s awesome. Power is from a 35 horsepower, 5.5-liter inline-six. Ten examples of the Model U are said to exist, which is good news. Hopefully, they’ll be around for a long time to come. This particular car should bring between $175,000-$225,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
1904 Peerless Type 8 Style K King of Belgium Touring by Quinby
Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 7, 2019
Photo – Bonhams
Peerless was one of the finest American motor cars you could buy before WWII. And their obsession with quality started early, even if these early cars were a little more innovative than their later creations.
The Type 8 was one of three models you could buy from the company in 1904. This car carries “King of Belgium” coachwork from the J.M. Quinby Company of Newark, New Jersey, and power is from 24 horsepower inline-four.
This car has been in collector hands since the 1950s and was first restored in the 60s. It’s the type of car you only ever see in museums. But it can be yours – for between $400,000-$480,000. Click here for more info.
Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 8, 2019
Photo – Artcurial
Now here is something special. First, a quick recap of the Alfa 8C: it was introduced in 1931 in 2300 guise. 1933 brought the 2600, followed by the 2900 in 1935. There were also race cars sprinkled in there for good measure. The 2900B started production in 1937 and these were as grand as cars got before WWII. There are only 32 examples of the 2900B, and we featured the drop-top version of this car back in 2016.
Two wheelbases of the 2900B were offered: Corto (short) and Lungo (long). I believe this is a long-wheelbase car, but the auction catalog is frustratingly unclear on that point. Only five Berlinetta versions were built by Touring, and this is number two.
The engine is a supercharged 2.9-liter straight-eight making 180 horsepower. They were sporty in their day. No one is sure who owned the car first, but it was exported to the UK in 1939 and was purchased by the current owner in 1976. It has never been restored. The Lungo Spider sold for just under $20 million… the estimate on this car is $18,000,000-$25,000,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
