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MECUM: LAS VEGAS

Las Vegas Convention Center • November 15-17, 2018

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Mecum Auctions’ 2nd annual Las Vegas collector-car auction was a success with $25.2 million in overall sales achieved. It was held November 15-17 at the Los Vegas Convention Center. Out of 885 cars in the sale, there were 667 vehicles that sold equaling a 75% sell-through rate. This is a 7% increase over last year’s sales.

The auction headlined the Academy of Art University collection which saw 31 vehicles sell for an overall total of $4 million, and four cars from the collection even landed among the top sellers. The University’s 1930 Bugatti Type 46 Faux Cabriolet (Lot #S98) featuring coachwork by Veth & Zoon came in as the auction’s top sale at more than $1 million, and the 1930 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton (Lot #S130.1) brought $770,000, landing it the No. 2 slot. A 1934 Packard 1104 Super 8 Dual Cowl Sport Phaeton(Lot 

#S125.1) from the collection claimed the third spot in top sales, and a 1935 Pierce-Arrow Model 1245 Silver Arrow (Lot #S93.1) came in as No. 6.

Other top sales included a 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda (Lot #S145) that brought $220,000 and Ardell Brown’s 1930 Cord L-29 Cabriolet (Lot #S72), which sold for $203,500. In total, the complete Ardell Brown Estate Collection of vehicles and Road Art sold for well in excess of $5 million. Ardell Brown’s long life as a car guy included ownership of OK Motors, Ardell Brown Auto Sales, Brown RV and Ardell Brown Classic Cars. At one point, it also included a personal collection of around 260 vehicles. Brown, who also served as chairman of the Utah Concours d’Elegance, died earlier this year at age 83, and 140 of the vehicles from his collection were consigned this sale.

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As has become typical for Mecum these days, the main attractions are cars from major collections and modern supercars, though there’s a shift in the docket for Las Vegas. Instead of an array of contemporary muscle machines, there is simply one spectacular one — the 2012 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sports 16.4 that in 2011 was showcased on the company’s 
stand at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Regarding the private collections, there were six on the docket, but two of them are overwhelming in both numbers and scope. The estate of the late Ardell Brown, and the Academy of Art University of San Francisco revamped its collection into a public museum and offered 52 predominantly pre-war classics at the auction.
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TOP 10 RESULTS:

  1. 1930 Bugatti Type 46 Faux Cabriolet
    (Lot S98) at $1,012,000
  2. 1930 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton
    (Lot S130.1) at $770,000
  3. 1934 Packard 1104 Super 8 Dual Cowl Sport Phaeton
    (Lot S125.1) at $258,500
  4. 1959 Mercedes-Benz 300D Cabriolet
    (Lot S180) at $244,750
  5. 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda
    (Lot S145) at $220,000
  6. 1935 Pierce-Arrow Model 1245 Silver Arrow
    (Lot S93.1) at $214,500
  7. 1930 Cord L-29 Cabriolet
    (Lot S72) at $203,500
  8. 2012 Terradyne Gurkha RPV Armored Vehicle
    (Lot F196) at $198,000
  9. 1999 Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster
    (Lot S183.1) at $187,000
  10. 1959 Volkswagen Deluxe 23-Window Bus
    (Lot F163) at $181,500
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