Vincent

Pictured are the four top selling lots at Bonhams' Stafford Autumn Motorcycle Auction weekend

Motorcycles

Bonhams sells the two most valuable basketcases in history – US$400,000 and $365,000

Bonhams sold the two most valuable 'basket cases' in history at the highest grossing European motorcycle auction ever. Brough Superior motorcycles dominated the big dollar sales, Munch and Rudge set records

Malcolm Barber presiding over Bonham's sale of the Frederiksen Collection

Collectibles

A Tale of Two Auctions - Why internet audience participation is now an essential part of the auction process

Two auctions at the extremities of the world on consecutive days last weekend highlight the importance of the internet in the modern elite auction process.

Motorcycles

Full preview of the Bonhams Spring Stafford Sale

Bonhams Stafford Spring sale has been responsible for more sales of elite motorcycles than any other single sale anywhere in the world, rivaling even the combined January Las Vegas sales. Not surprisingly, there are a number of very rare and valuable motorcycles going under the hammer on April 26.

Some choice vehicles on sale include a 1959 Daimler Ferret armored reconnaissance vehicle ($15,000–19,000), a matching numbers 1952 Vincent Black Shadow (£55,000–60,000, $80,000–88,000), a rare Linto 500 GP racer (£90,000–110,000, $130,000–160,000), a Ducati 750 Sport with NCR 750SS Desmo heads (£24,000–26,000, $35,000–38,000), some delectable vintage and veteran road machines plus a plethora of vintage racing bikes. We've picked the eyes out of the sale.

Collectibles

Vincent Black Shadow & Linto 500 head H&H Classic Auctions bill

The British Collectible car and motorcycle auction season kicks off this week with H&H Classic Auctions' Imperial War Museum sale where several key lots are expected to provide a litmus test for the elite classic motorcycle market. We survey the offerings and link to all the catalogue descriptions.

One or two of these bikes might sell for $1,000,000, five for more than $300,000 and more than 100 should fetch $70,000 or more. This auction will redefine the collectible motorcycle marketplace.

Collectibles

The E.J. Cole Collection auction preview – the most important motorcycle auction ever held

The motorcycle world will hold its breath on March 20 & 21 when the largest and most significant collection of motorcycles ever auctioned at one time will sell at "no reserve" in Las Vegas. More than 100 bikes are expected to fetch $70,000, changing the entire collectible motorcycle landscape.

This one-hundred-year-old Cyclone Board Track racer going to auction next month could become just the third motorcycle in history to sell for more than a million dollars. One of just six in existence, a similar bike set the world auction record at $551,200 in 2008. The beautiful bevel-driven V-twin was capable of 111 mph and this particular bike has a golden provenance including ownership by the man with the midas touch, Steve McQueen. McQueen has multiple entries in the most valuable cars sold at auction, the most valuable movie cars sold at auction plus SEVEN entries in the top 100 motorcycles sold at auction. The bike was restored by noted author, historian and craftsman Stephen Wright.

Collectibles

Steve McQueen's Cyclone could become the third million dollar motorcycle

A hundred-year-old Cyclone board track racer could become the third motorcycle in history to sell for more than a million dollars. A similar bevel-driven 1000cc V-twin set the world auction record in 2008, but this bike was once owned by the man with the midas touch, Steve McQueen.

This article is designed to highlight all of the major cars and motorcycles and selected automobilia on offer this week in Paris. If you flick through the image gallery, you can click directly through from the high resolution image to the auction description for any items that may interest you.

Automotive

Retromobile preview: The barnfind of the century finally goes to auction

The Paris/Retromobile round of collectible car and bike auctions gets underway this week with sales by Artcurial, Bonhams and RM. Though dozens of cars will sell for more than a million dollars, the world's most important barnfind, the Baillon Collection, will be the star of the show.

One of only 15 ever produced, this 1950 Vincent Series C White Shadow was sold for US$111,150 at the Quail Motorcycle Gathering in May, 2009. A complete restoration and return to absolute originality ensued, resulting in the bike fetching US$224,250 at auction on January 9, 2015.

Collectibles

1950 Vincent Series C White Shadow sells for US$224,250

Only 15 White Shadows were ever produced, so it was logical that this 1950 Vincent Series C White Shadow which went to auction in Las Vegas last night would join the other 14 Vincent V-twins in the top 100 motorcycles of all time. It did.

Bonhams' estimates the 1929 Brough Superior Alpine Grand Sports (top two) will fetch between £270,000 (US$435,240) and £320,000 (US$515,840), while the 998cc Series C Vincent Black Shadow (bottom two) will fetch between £70,000 (US$112,840) and £90,000 (US$145,080)

Collectibles

Spectacular Brough Superior Alpine Grand Sports & Vincent Black Shadow set for auction

The one liter V-twins from Brough Superior and Vincent are the world's two most sought-after motorcycles – that's a fact. Now two perfect examples will cross the block on the same day.

Motorcycles

The top 100 most expensive motorcycles sold at auction

Our list of the top 100 highest priced motorcycles ever sold at auction offers unprecedented perspective on the rare motorcycle marketplace. It includes full details and images of each bike, plus links to the official auction page and catalog descriptions.

The discovery that a gun collector paid US$580,000 for a 1910 Winchester ("the gun that won the West") motorcycle at auction in August, 2013 offers a direct comparison between the perceptions of value of the gun and motorcycle markets: the motorcycle collector marketplace appears significantly undervalued by comparison to the gun marketplace and indeed, almost any other collectible marketplace.

Collectibles

World record price for Winchester motorcycle highlights discrepancies in the collectibles marketplace

The discovery that a motorcycle made by a gun manufacturer has held the world record for the most expensive motorcycle ever sold at auction raises some interesting contrasts between the different genres in the collectibles market. In August, 2013, a 1910 Winchester motorcycle sold for US$580,000

New French company Midual joined the limited-edition hyper-priced motorcycle marketplace this month, with an ingenious redesign of the century-old boxer-twin motor, an aerospace-quality cast monocoque frame, a rethink on the cooling system, bespoke personalization, a we-come-to-you service model, a rare standard of detail and craftsmanship, and a EUR140,000 (US$185,400) price tag

Motorcycles

Midual's remarkable US$185,000 Type 1 takes its place among the world's most expensive motorcycles

Midual has joined the ranks of limited-edition hyper-priced motorcycles with an ingenious redesigned boxer engine, a cast-aluminum monocoque chassis, bespoke personalization and craftsmanship and a we-come-to-you service model.