VINTAGE SALE TRIUMPH
Steam engines, vintage motorcycles and restored tractors hit new highs at Cheffins Spring Vintage Sale.
With three superb steam engines on show it was sure to bring out the crowds and it was no surprise to see a massive crowd rammed in amongst the wisps of smoke from the chimney of Bromyard Queen Nance.
Up first was a delightful 1907 Foster 'Wellington' and easily busted its reserve and flew to a strong £103,000. Next up was the well known 1935 Sentinel S4 steam wagon and soared to an impressive £154,000. Although the 1909 Fowler A8 'Bromyard Queen Nance' did not sell under the hammer it was soon sold post sale for an undisclosed amount, completing a satisfying clean sweep and showing there is certainly a lot of confidence in the market despite the recent economic uncertainty.
In the motorcyle sale an absolutely stunning 1948 HRD Vincent Rapide Series B saw a number of telephone bidders fighting it out with bidders in the room. The eventual hammer price of £41,500 exceeded all expectations and, we believe, is a European auction record for a Rapide.
Two 1930's Harley Davidsons, both Art Deco style beauties, made an identical £11,100 each to different buyers. Of the 54 machines offered, 40 found new homes giving a very healthy sale rate of 75%. The quality of the machines entered into this sale was reflected in the number of buyers and the level of bidding with many folk looking for tangible assets in these straightened financial times.
The tractor section saw an excellent entry of nearly 300 vintage a classic models with the usual range of superbly restored, good ex-farm original to the ones for restoration or spares. Among many exciting bidding battles was a 1936 Marshall 18/30. One of only twenty 18/30's known to exist, this tractor was subject to VAT, but made a massive £48,000!
Then one of the finest restored 1184's to come to the market in recent years was the Benson Group County that had been retrieved, repatriated and fully restored and hit the button at a whopping £47,000.
For fuller details please click on www.cheffins.co.uk/news/vintage-champagne-396-vintage.
