Pre-War Italian and British Sports Cars at Bonhams

Race-documented Maserati with provenance from Fagioli and Nuvolari, plus Riley and Bentleys from the Willem van Huystee Collection to feature at the March 2016 sale in Florida

Bonhams’ second annual auction will be held Thursday, March 10th at the Fernandina Beach Golf Club (conveniently located near the municipal airport) on Amelia Island in Florida.

Bonhams will offer up cars owned by Pennsylvania collector Willem van Huystee.

The 1933 Maserati 8C 3000 Biposto is one of the much-hallowed sporting cars from the early days of the company when Maserati campaigned and won numerous events, including Grand Prix and road tours. This particular car, chassis #3004, has origins in the era when the likes of Sommer, Fagioli, Biondetti and even Nuvolari campaigned these cars, all of whom were connected with #3004.

Raced in Italy, throughout Europe, and in Great Britain – specifically at Brooklands, the car disappeared during the war but was later discovered as part of a large cache of Maseratis in the 1960s, whereupon it was restored back to its Grand Prix two-seater configuration. In Mr. van Huystee's care it has been exquisitely mechanically restored at the hands of noted technical expert Chris Leydon and been a regular sight at many competitive events in America including "The Grand Ascent" hill climb at The Elegance at Hershey each summer, the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, at Lime Rock Park, and on the 2001 Mille Miglia in Italy.

The 1935Riley MPH Two-Seater Sports, the “Swiss MPH”, is an example of the most fabled model this British manufacturer built. This particular car was delivered new to Switzerland where it was raced in its earliest days by original owner and Swiss Riley importer Jacob Waeny. It was there that it was seen by a young Bob Lutz, also of Swiss nationality, who having admired it in the 1940s was able to secure the car in 1963. It remained with him for nearly 50 years, a trusty stablemate as his career grew with pivotal roles in Ford, Chrysler and General Motors. In van Huystee's care for the last few years, the Riley has been technically improved and regularly used. In 2014 the car was driven on the Pebble Beach Motoring Classic, covering some 1,600 miles down the West Coast of America to arrive at the annual Concours d'Elegance in August where it received an award in the Pre-War Sports Racing Car Class.

Alongside these is a pair of Bentleys, one of which is from the illustrious Vintage Era – a 1924 Bentley 3-Litre Red Label Speed Model Tourer with original open sports touring coachwork by Park Ward. It has been successfully campaigned on several Mille Miglias, the famed Colorado Grand, many Bentley Drivers Club events, and a number of car shows in America. The other is a Derby-built 1935 Bentley 3 1Ž2-Litre from the era after acquisition by Rolls-Royce. This car is an archetypal example of the second generation of Bentleys, frequently dubbed the “Silent Sportscar,” and carries elegant light sports saloon coachwork also from Park Ward.

Consignments are now being sought to add alongside these incredible machines, where buyers from across the globe will be in attendance. Owners of unique and rare automobiles – of all makes and vintages – are encouraged to contact one of the following Bonhams specialists today:

East Coast

Rupert Banner • 212-461-6515 • rupert.banner@bonhams.com
Eric Minoff • 917- 206-1630 • eric.minoff@bonhams.com
Evan Ide • 917-340-4657 • evan.ide@bonhams.com

West Coast
Jakob Greisen • 415-503-3284 • jakob.greisen@bonhams.com
Mark Osborne • 415-503-3353 • mark.osborne@bonhams.com
Nick Smith • 323-436-5470 • nick.smith@bonhams.com