So, it’s another brisk night in New York City as I head to the next iteration of RM Sotheby’s New York auction. No fancy name or theme this time around. Just “New York.” This time when I walked through the front door, I had to go down half a flight of stairs to the rear of the building to see this year’s feature vehicle, the 1989 Lamborghini Countach, featured in the movie Wolf of Wall Street. Just sitting there in front of me under the bright lights with its signature scissor doors raised. I felt the insatiable need to jump in the car, and just sprawl myself half in and half out in an effort to do my best Leonardo DiCaprio imitation. However, the best of me, and probably the fact that there were two security guards standing close by, kept me from living out this fantasy.
Just a few feet away was an enormous gallery filled with a 918 Spyder, a 2006 Bugatti Veyron, a McLaren P1, and a Jaguar XJ220. Not a bad array of cars in such a tight space. The almost 40-foot-high ceilings in the room and the relatively small display area struck me as being disproportional vertical as these machines are made to go very horizontally. Very quickly. I don’t know if it was the hardwood floors or the antiseptic cement columns that were holding up the rest of the building that made it seem different. But, then again, this is New York.
I saw all this in an almost empty building as I arrived early and was greeted by an old friend who just happens to be one of the people in charge of security for RM Sotheby’s. He was able to provide me with a behind-the-scenes tour of the facility. Unfortunately, for security purposes (you all know where I am going with this), I can’t say anything about what I saw and where I went. But just know that anything that comes through those doors at RM Sotheby’s is well protected, and well taken care of. They truly know what they are doing.
But let’s get back to the auction. Nineteen examples of automotive excellence were offered at this auction. Two of my favorites were the 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Coupe that won First in Class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance this year and sold rather well for $1,105,000, and the 1953 Fiat 8V Supersonic. This Fiat has to be the finest quality restoration I have ever seen in my life. In the bright lights of the 2nd floor gallery, you could literally see every single detail of the car in all its glory. The workmanship of the restoration, and of course not leaving out the amazing original design and manufacturing of the car, left me speechless with my jaw dragging along the floor.
This magnificent vehicle went across the block, or in true New York style, across the 80-foot-long video wall, for an impressive $2,425,000. And, while not a motor vehicle, but a great piece of automobilia and art, a true merger of both, a colorful, Andy Warhol Mobil screenprint on Lenox museum board that was both signed in pencil and inscribed “VII/X” traded hands for $48,000. Produced by Warhol in 1985, this impression comes from his Ads portfolio and is one of 10 non-trade proofs in Roman numerals, distinctive from the 190 numbered editions and 30 artist’s proofs published by Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, Inc. Another fun night in the Big Apple.
Writers note: Something you usually don’t see at auctions or in stories about auctions. Two pictures (above) of one of the galleries in a before and after setting. It was only a few hours between each picture. But what a way to dress up a room for the Season. Merry Christmas everyone.
Rich Pepe Founder – R.S. Pepe Automotive Events
