Auction: It's all about passion for elegance
It's not every day that 55 cars from 88 years of Rolls-Royce and Bentley production go under the hammer in one fell swoop. In the Principality of Liechtenstein, this will be the case on June 19. And something else is remarkable in view of the auction taking place under Corona conditions: Interested parties may again personally [...]
And something else is remarkable in view of the auction taking place under Corona conditions: Interested parties may again appear on site in person and bid - albeit in a limited number of participants as well as under the known pandemic restrictions.
It took Norbert Seeger, a well-known trustee in the Principality, 30 years to gather his collection. For them, he had a special facility called "Stabiq Treasure House" built in Eschen, a 15-minute drive north of Vaduz.
All cars in exceptional condition
The auction, which RM Sotheby's has given the title "A Passion For Elegance," is also scheduled to begin there at 5 p.m. on June 19. According to the auctioneers, all cars are in exceptional condition, ready to drive at the touch of a button.
Norbert Seeger: "The collection is complete. There is at least one representative from Rolls-Royce from every single period. The collection of Bentleys shows the development of the brand from the takeover by Rolls-Royce in 1931 to the present day."
Most expensive car in the world at that time on sale
The star is a 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Special Town Car by U.S. coachbuilder Brewster, a one-off and the first and only one of the three Special Town Cars built still wearing its original bodywork.
Designed for American millionaire Matthew Dick of Washington, D.C., the car is a one-of-a-kind custom car that cost the whopping sum of $31,000 in 1933, making it the most expensive car in the world at the time.
Special cars for Hollywood stars and blue bloods
For many, the post-war highlight of the collection is an exceptional 1958 Park Ward Bentley S1 Continental Convertible, one of the most stylish British open-top grand touring cars ever built.
This vehicle is also expected to possibly become a million seller in Liechtenstein. Its estimated price is between 900,000 and 1.2 million francs.
Unlike most Bentley convertibles produced in the post-war period, Park Ward's number 700 for the S1 Continental was not a conversion of a saloon from current production.
The car was a completely custom body built from scratch from aluminum on the Continental chassis. Only 94 convertible coupes were produced on this chassis for clientele on both sides of the Atlantic - including mostly captains of industry, Hollywood stars and blue-bloods.
The cheapest offer is a Bentley R sedan
The two most recent additions to the collection are a Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé and a Bentley Brooklands, both built in 2008. The Bentley is said to be worth between 110,000 and 150,000 francs, the Rolls-Royce between 130,000 and 175,000 francs.
But it can also be cheaper. The cheapest offer is a 68-year-old Bentley R sedan, which should already be available for a used car price of between 35,000 and 50,000 francs.
Rolls-Royce aircraft engine from 1946
And those who are less enthusiastic about old sheet metal - no matter how noble - will also find what they are looking for. The only non-car at the auction is a 1946 Rolls-Royce Merlin twelve-cylinder aircraft engine waiting for a bidder willing to invest between 20,000 and 30,000 francs.
