Obvious economic sense tell you that this is not the time to be spending more than half a million dollars on a motorbike from the 50’s, but we are all about encouraging you to defy convention. That is exactly why this 1950’s Vincent Black Lightning Motorcycle is such a wonderful buy for all those who love to go bidding on vintage wheels. The bike was originally built to shatter the land speed record for a two wheeler and while it did not manage to accomplish that feet, it might go down as the most expensive bike to go in an auction.
Read the full story »

A sapphire-and-diamond brooch once worn by legendary musician Elton John while filming his music videos “I don’t wanna go on with you like that,” is all set to go under hammer this week. Designed like a “J,”the art deco piece worn by John in 1988 is now estimated to generate sales of 12,000-15,000 pounds (US$22,330-27,900) at Bonhams auction house in London on 25 September. The 1930s-era brooch features brilliant-cut and baguette-cut diamonds and oval-cut and circular-cut sapphires. The brooch, on sale this autumn at Bonhams, has an estimate value of 12,000-15,000 pounds (US$22,330-27,900).

Other priceless valuables of the scheduled auction include a De Beers 11.03-carat emerald-cut diamond ring that may generate $593,000.

Via AP

International fine art auction house Bonhams lately inked a new world record for sales generation of Jaguar motor car during an auction. The 1955 Jaguar D-Type Sports Racing Car ‘XKD509′ went to an anonymous British buyer for a monstrous cost of £2,201,500 ($4.4 million). The 3.4-litre coupe model claims to be the first Jaguar D-Type that underwent production in 1955 (costing £2,500 then) and sports an original subframe, tub and 3.4-liter competition engine.

The auction was scheduled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Chichester on behalf of the Littlewoods Football Pools family. The sales generated have overshadowed the previous record of £1,706,000 marked in 1999.
Via Telegraph/ Bonhams

Two of the classic models of Jaguar’s coupe are anticipated to fetch up to £6 million in an auction. One developed in 1960, Jaguar E2A symbolizing the omitted connection between the iconic D-Type and E-Type sculpts is allocated to be sold off in California next month with an anticipation to generate sales of £3.5 million (4.44 million euro/ $7 million). And the other closer to home a two-seater sports racing D-Type would be featured on 11 July during Goodwood Festival of Speed sale in Sussex.

The latter is expected to bill £2.5 million ($3.97 mn-4.96 mn/ , 2.52 mn-3.14 mn euro).

The D-Type was in the collection of the late Nigel Moores, founder of Littlewoods, and is now owned by his son James.
Via TimesOnline

On 29 June, Bonhams would be auctioning off its astonishing compilation of classic bikes valued around $2 million at the Royal Air Force Museum in London. The collection details the largest single-owner collection of motorbikes ever reached the auction block, all 300 machines coming from the Professor Fritz Ehn Motorcycle Museum in Austria. The two wickedly fast and attention-inviting models include British-made Vincents: the 1955 998cc Black Prince and a 1952 998cc Black Shadow anticipated to fetch $56,000-$64,000 and $44,000 - $56,000 respectively.

Other highlights of the motorbikes include a 1935 Brough Superior 1,096cc 11-50hp, aka. The “Rolls-Royce of Motorcycles” as driven by T. E. Lawrence ($50,000 - $60,000); a 1927 BMW 500cc R47 ($36,000-$44,000); a 1937 Ariel 995cc Square Four Model 4G ($20,000-$24,000) adjoined by popularly known models by Harley Davidson, Ducati, Triumph and more. So, all you there with passion for antique and wheels shall rush now to invest their spare amount of dough by inking this neat deal.

Via Luxist

A striking 1961 Bentley S2 once belonging to actor Sean Connery would reach the Bonhams’ auction house in England coming Saturday. The coupe is up for auction as a part of a Bonhams’ Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Select Pre-War Motor Cars and Automobilia Sale during the Rolls-Royce Enthusiast’s Club’s Annual Rally at historic Kelmarsh Hall near Northampton. The grand S2 model saloon (featured above) refined in two-tone Shell Grey/Tudor Grey with harmonizing red leather inside is anticipated at generate $24,000-$30,000.

Other visible models at the auction would include a rare 1919/20 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Alpine Eagle ( $280,000-$320,000), the ex-Earls Court Motor Show 1962 Rolls-Royce Phantom V Touring Limousine (limited edition sedan with counted 13 models) estimated at $116,000-$130,000; a 1963 Bentley S3 Continental Flying Spur Saloon with coachwork by H J Mulliner ($130,000 -$140,000); and the queen of the sale, a 1976 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow Saloon (previously the belongings of Lord Leverhulme, Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, which has been tripped in by numerous affiliates of the Britsh Royal Family counting the Queen Mother, Prince Charles and the late Princess Di) expected to generate a sales of $26,000 - $30,000.

Via Luxist

Pictured above is an 8ft 11in Model D grand piano that belongs to Sir Elton John (circa 1971) and comes in a burr maple wood finish with virtual cross banding on square tightening legs jointly with toning concert adaptable stool. After its completion in Hamburg on 27 September, 1971; it was shipped to Steinway & Sons in London where Elton John inked a neat deal with it and installed it at his Woodside dwelling in Windsor. Now this antique item has reached the Bonhams auction house and is anticipated to generate sales ranging between £35,000-45,000. It is the same instrument that Elton played for BBC TV’s ‘Top of the Pops’, performing ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ with Kiki Dee in 1976.

“Sunset over the Atlas Mountains,” a circa 1935 oil painting by Winston Churchill is all set to go under hammer during Bonhams New York auction in 23 April. This is one painting that Winston adored so much that he invited President Franklin D. Roosevelt to see it even after years later. This vivacious countryside depicting Churchill’s balcony at the Mamounia Hotel in Marrakech is anticipated to fetch $600,000. Churchill invited Roosevelt to travel with him to Marrakech after a conference in Casablanca in 1943 so he could experience the beautiful view for himself.

Via MSNBC

Wine patrons can calm down their fetish need by visiting Bonhams London headquarters on 30 April. News is Bonhams auction house would be displaying the atypical vintages right from the vault of the celebrated Mirabelle restaurant located in London. Around 300 lots of wine from the Michelin based restaurant will be accessible, including sparkling wines viz. Dom Pérignon Oenothéque, Krug Collection, Clos des Papes, Veuve Clicquot, and esteemed old bottles of First Growths from Latour 1916. The Mirabelle cellar variety of spirits up for bidding would roughly count to be more than $200,000.

The Mirabelle was habitually a sure-shot destination for top names viz. Winston Churchill, Laurence Olivier, Orson Welles and Vivien Leigh and noticeably, there was a table was reserved for royalty. Those amongst you are fervent vintage wine collector; the London-based Bonhams is inviting you to enjoy the spree with them.

Via BornRich

All you filthy rich elephants thinking to witness Monaco this season to ink great deals for updating your private collection of antique cars can consider this. News is the LeMans edition of the celebrated Bugatti type 55 would go under hammer at Bonhams vintage car exhibition.

Raced ages back in 1934, this vintage racer is one extant example of the 38 type-55 Bugatti’s ever made. Developed in 1932, the coupe was possessed by the French proletarian driver, Charles Brunet and has also been worn-out in that race. A pricey reinstatement by the French expert Etablissements NOVO pursued and the Type 55 was shortly sold to the Bill Serri anthology and more lately the ‘Mas du Clos’ collection. Now, this magnificence would be up for sale on 10 May 10, when this vintage would be auctioned at more than the demanded price of €2,000,000 and €2,600,000 at Monaco.

Other must-see vintage coupes’ include a 1938 BMW 328 (€400,000 – 600,000), 1969 Ferrari 365 GTS (€500,000 – 800,000), 1972 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 NART Spyder by Michelotti (€525,000-675,000) and 1958 Aston Martin DB MKIII DHC (€150,000 – 200,000). The Type 55 Bugatti LeMans up for auction is shown at the top right of the image shown above.

Via BornRich