Flipping? Much more Rumor than Fact
There is widespread criticism of car-flippers, those who allegedly acquire a car at one auction and attempt to sell it for a quick profit at the next. The survey we made for the poster cars story above recorded 559 specific transactions by vehicle identification number from January 2012 through March 2015. During that time just 19 […]
Poster Children: A Survey
Many car enthusiasts had a poster on their wall of the car of their dreams. Although you may have forgotten what you imagined yourself driving in those idyllic days of your youth, it’s clear that David Gooding and Rob Myers, and the folks at Bonhams, Russo & Steele, Rick Cole, at Barrett-Jackson, and Mecum have been […]
Something Old, Something New: June 2015
Porsche 911 Forever Young Written by Tobias Aichele These two books present different approaches to the same story. Aichele worked for Porsche’s Presse department and his history of the 911 incorporates countless quotes from interviews done with company engineers and designers. Technical information, while not the primary purpose in the first 284 pages of text, […]
History Matters. But So Does Proof! – 1971 911T Targa
Sometimes, dealing with collector cars is like archeology: You have to work with what is left. This inquiry began with a plea on an enthusiast message board: “Why doesn’t anyone care about the finest Porsche my Uncle Leopold Schmidt built?” Nearly everyone in the car hobby loves a good mystery and this one struck the right […]
Buying at a Monterey Auction
Buying a car on the Monterey peninsula is simple – if you have the necessary money. Actually it’s more important that your bank says you have the money. You will need to do some homework though, since every auction house is different. Some are very stuffy and very strict. Others believe that since you haven’t […]
June Editor’s Note
May has been a momentous month: Christie’s Auctions during three days of sales, sold $1.36 billion of artwork. Individual pieces sold for $30+M, $50+M, even $179.4 million, establishing a new highest-price ever paid at auction. How it happened – with Christie’s providing its most valued consignors guaranteed prices – offers interesting glimpses into what may […]