Bonhams tapping into two generations of antique cars at Audrain sale

Bonhams - A new Bonhams stand-alone sale, The Two Generations Collection, will take place on April 29, 2023, in Newport, Rhode Island, as a prelude to the Audrain Veteran Car Tour. The auction will offer 35 predominantly Brass Era cars and an extensive range of collectibles, amassed over 70 years by an enthusiast father and his son.

The majority of the collection will be sold without reserve, with many lots being offered for the first time in more than 40 years.

Leading the sale is a remarkably original 1906 Thomas 50hp Flyer Touring Car, a precursor, of equal hp and specification, to the renowned car which claimed victory in the gruelling 22,000-mile New York to Paris endurance race in 1908.

The car offered was acquired from one of the famed William Fisk Harrah collection auctions in the mid-1980s. Harrah, a noted Thomas enthusiast, had purchased the Flyer – the only 1906 example he owned – in 1956 from Oklahoma. Apparently never restored, the car retains its original coachwork and much of its original upholstery.

The collection offers examples of luxury marques from the dawn of motoring including Pierce-Arrow, Pope-Hartford and Cadillac. Another brand targeting the upper echelons of society was Palmer-Singer, represented by a rare 1911 4-50 Seven Passenger Touring.

Founded by Henry Palmer, a member of one of the great Williamsburg families, and his partner Charles Singer of the eponymous sewing machine company, the lesser-known Palmer-Singer marque targeted a sporting clientele, offering ‘The Best in Motor Cars’. Only three or four of the Long Island City-produced automobiles are known to survive.

This high-performance four cylinder 50 hp model has original Touring coachwork by Quinby, the respected New York-based coachbuilder, and is the sole known four-cylinder Palmer-Singer and the only Seven Passenger Touring example. Considered a family member, the Touring was fully restored in the mid-1950s and took part in more than 100 tours with its owners between 1960 and 2006.

The Two Generations Collection also celebrates the era’s successful mass producers, with a selection of variants by two competing manufacturers, Ford and Oldsmobile.

The early Fords include a rare 1912 Model T Torpedo Roadster which had been restored in the early 1950s, as well as a Model R Roadster, early 1909 Model T Touring car, 1935 V8 Roadster and an exquisite, award-winning 1947 Model 79A Sportsman Convertible.

Oldsmobile is represented by a well-proven 1904 Curved Dash, while a 1906 and a 1907 model of REO, the successor company of founder Ransom Eli Olds, tell the next chapter of the marque’s story.

With their owners, many of the cars have participated in Horseless Carriage Club of America and Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) tours and have been shown as prestigious events such as Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, Elegance at Hershey and Klingberg Concours.

Also offered in the sale are circa 450 high-quality lots of automobilia, carefully curated and collected over two generations, from pedal cars and spares to motoring art, including 50 original Veteran and Vintage advertising posters. Highlights include a Grand Prix de L'A.C.F. Dieppe poster after Bric, 1908 ($5,000-7,000) and a rare clockwork 'Gordon-Bennett' racing car by Bing, Germany, circa 1904.

The second edition of the Audrain Veteran Car Tour – supported by Bonhams and already known as the American London to Brighton Run – will be staged in Newport, Rhode Island, the home of Motorsport in America, where many wealthy pioneer motorists had homes.

The Two Generations Collection is staged under Bonhams’ partnership with the Audrain Concours Foundation which also includes the autumn Audrain Concours Auction, this year taking place on September 29 as part of Audrain Newport Concours & Motor Week.

Location: Newport, Rhode Island

Date: April 29, 2023

About Audrain Motorsport

Audrain Motorsport is all about the chance to share extraordinary experiences centered around the way you want to engage with cars and motorcycles. No matter where your passion connects, on a tour, rally or back country drive; exploring the limits of your car and your talent against the clock on a track; as an insider at the world’s leading Concours d’Elegance and historic races; or sharing conversation with the movers, shakers and legends of the motoring world in an intimate setting, Audrain Motorsport is there to make it possible.

Audrain Motorsport promises 'curated immersive automotive experiences' for all its members who are looking to take their passion to the next level, and to operate at the top of the automotive lifestyle chain. For more information please visit, www.AudrainMotorsport.com and stay up-to-date with all news and information by following Audrain Motorsport on YouTube and social media platforms.

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's largest and most renowned auctioneers, offering fine art and collectables, collectors’ cars and a luxury division, which includes jewelry, designer fashion, watches, wine, and whisky. In 2021 and 2022, Bonhams made a number of important acquisitions which form the wider Bonhams network. These include: Bukowskis, Bruun Rasmussen, Bonhams Skinner, Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr and The Market by Bonhams.

There are 14 salerooms around the globe: UK: New Bond Street, London; Knightsbridge, London; Edinburgh. US: New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Marlborough. Hong Kong: Admiralty. France: Avenue Hoche, Paris; Rue de la Paix, Paris. Belgium: Brussels; Denmark: Copenhagen. Sweden: Stockholm and Australia: Sydney. www.bonhams.com

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