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Duesenberg

Nine Ferraris & More Shatter Million-Dollar Mark at RM's Monterey Sale

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions


An exceptional 1954 Ferrari 375 MM Berlinetta (above), the fifth of only seven examples ever built, sold for an astounding $4.6 million at RM's Sports & Classics of Monterey sale on Saturday night, leading an impressive group of 14 individual sales (including eight other Ferraris) which shattered the magic million dollar mark. TV personality and former racer Alain de Cadenet joined auctioneer Max Girardo onstage for the six-hour sale, which saw 84 motor cars cross the podium before a packed house. The Saturday night sale marked the conclusion of RM's 2010 Classics of Monterey event, which attracted record bidder registrations from 29 countries, including Monaco, Brazil, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates. After the jump, find the complete list of million-dollar-plus sales from the incredible auction:

1930s Duesenbergs bring in Millions at Amelia Island

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

dusenbergs

The Great Depression put an end to a lot of opulence in America, not the least of them the super-luxury automobile. Today that market is held by such brands as Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Bugatti and Maybach – European brands all, each owned by a German automaker – but in the inter-war period Duesenberg stood among them. The American auto marque made a name for itself with its powerful engines at the Indianapolis 500, and was subsequently acquired by E.L. Cord, the auto industry magnate behind the Auburn, the Cord and the Checker Cab. Cord launched the Duesenberg Model J shortly before the infamous stock market crash. But as close as the economy may look to the one at the Model J's dawn, the rolling symbols of early 20th-century American wealth continue to trade hands at high prices.

At RM Auctions' recent event at Amelia Island, two Duesenberg Model Js from the collection of John O'Quinn fetched several million dollars between them. Both feature coachwork by Murphy and 420-cubic-inch straight-eight engines. The 1930 hard-top exceeded expectations with a $1.7 million winning bid, while the second 1932 convertible came in significantly lower at $800,000. Considering that either must have cost in the neighborhood of $20,000 when they were new – at a time when an average family sedan went for around $500 – the six- and seven-figure prices the two Duesenbergs fetched at auction look just about right.


Rare Duesenberg Sells for $2.64 Million

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions


What price beauty? How about $2.64 million? That's what this 1931 Duesenberg J Special Phaeton went for during the auction of 90 rare cars and motorcycles owned by late Los Angeles Times publisher Otis Chandler on October 21st. The Gooding and Company auction brought in over $36 million. The Duesenberg wasn't the only $2 million car, a 1904 Mercedes 40/45 HP Sports Touring went for $2.25 million. The collection was deemed important not because of the size but because it featured so many great items. Chandler began collecting cars when he was a student at Stanford University in 1947 and he wanted the cars to go to other collectors after his death.

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