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Harrington at auction

65beam

Donation Time
Bob Avery's Harrington goes up for sale at Sotheby's in Arizona this weekend. No reserve and estimated to sell at 130 to 160K. What will it sell for????
 

jumpinjan

Bronze Level Sponsor
"...Please note that during restoration a new body was fitted to the car. Please also note that the title is in transit..."
 

Aladin Sane

Diamond Level Sponsor
I have the original hatchet that George Washington used to chop down the cherry tree, of course during its restoration I had to replace the handle, and the head, but it occupies the same space.
 

65beam

Donation Time

Gordon Holsinger

Diamond Level Sponsor
I have the original hatchet that George Washington used to chop down the cherry tree, of course during its restoration I had to replace the handle, and the head, but it occupies the same space.
I have an original George Washington hatchet also, same problem new handle and new blade!
 

Gordon Holsinger

Diamond Level Sponsor
I would say that you should replay the auction and you'll see they mentioned the rebody at the start of the auction. I spend a lot of time at vintage races on the east coast and there are a lot of rebodies of well known race cars of the past.
That’s a pile of money for a rebody!
 

65beam

Donation Time
Gordon,
I know of a few rebodied Tigers with TAC numbers that have sold for big money. I know of a rebodied Harrington Alpine and another Harrington on the west coast that sold for decent money.
 

65beam

Donation Time
Prior to start of bidding. There were two guys handling the auction and as I was watching the video portion the guy on the left made the statement. I suggest you watch it. Lot #135
 

cdk84

Donation Time
I've looked on this thread but have not seen the final sale figure. Is it mentioned?

The rebodied Sebring Harrington sold for $196,000, premium included; I believe that to be a world record for a Harrington Alpine.

Someone loved the car enough to bid that amount. That's the nature of an auction: anything can happen. As something of a fan of the Harrington Type A, I am astonished but also pleased.

I hope they enjoy the daylights out of the car, race it, and have the time of their lives!
 

cdk84

Donation Time
I have to tip my hat to RM Sotheby's. Their original listing did not mention the rebody because they were unaware it had transpired. ( If they had looked critically at the substantial number of restoration photographs they had of the car, they likely would have come to the rebodying conclusion on their own. ) Nonetheless the rebody was brought to their attention and they had the integrity --and / or the sense of self-protection-- to make that announcement at the auction, which I can testify from considerable experience is not common among auction companies. Kudos to them.

Including commission, lot 135 sold for a total of $196,000. That is, I believe, a world record for a Harrington Alpine, and perhaps even for any Sunbeam, at auction. When Clive Harrington sold the Index of Thermal Efficiency Harrington at the Goodwood Auction in 2005, his proceeds were noticeably short of $100,000 after his commission was paid and his car received an uncommonly nicely written, detailed and well illustrated listing; far more thorough, contextual and informative that the listing for this Sebring car.

Clearly at least two people wanted this car very much, rebodied or not.

I hope the new owner will use it as much as their wallet suggests they love the car. As an ardent fan of the Harrington Type A, I am shocked but also very pleased that it has reached its due ( financial ) acknowledgment --if not, perhaps, a wee bit more...
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
I have to tip my hat to RM Sotheby's. Their original listing did not mention the rebody because they were unaware it had transpired. .... Nonetheless the rebody was brought to their attention and they had the integrity --and / or the sense of self-protection-- to make that announcement at the auction, which I can testify from considerable experience is not common among auction companies. Kudos to them.

Including commission, lot 135 sold for a total of $196,000. That is, I believe, a world record for a Harrington Alpine, and perhaps even for any Sunbeam, at auction.

David, agreed its good they added the info of rebody at auction. It was auctioned in the UK a couple of years back and despite contact from UK/USA sunbeam community they did not disclose it and it sold for around 100k gbp iirc.

As for most valuable harrington... Yup its done that.. Probably highest alpine price as the LM cars have traded around 140k usd, but its been a while.

Most valuable sunbeam (alpine/ tiger) at auction.. Nope... The LM mule Tiger went for around 350k usd iirc and there were 3 x mkii tigers that sold over 215k base bids before commisions in the 2014 summer auction season stateside.

As I've said many times.. A lovely car.. Well prepared and presented.. Just a shame the original unibody wasnt saved... Even just as a object to go with the reshell that someone may be brave enough to restore one day
 

65beam

Donation Time
This car was the center of attention at an early Invasion and drew a lot of folks at the Cincinnati United in 2006. David can verify that as many of us can. This sale shows that the folks that have the desire and capability to buy or build what they want don't listen to a small group that tell them it's not something the buyer or owner should do. The buyer pretty much paid double what this car sold for at a previous auction so as someone else said, the buyer bought it because he wanted it. I'm sure the buyer never gave a second thought after buying it.
 
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