France barn find worth millions
1961 Ferrari two hundred fifty GT SWB California Spider • Chassis two thousand nine hundred thirty five • Ex Alain Delon • Baillon Collection. Estimate : nine 500 zero – twelve 000 zero €
1956 Maserati A6G Gran Sport Frua • Chassis two thousand one hundred forty • Baillon Collection. Estimate : eight hundred 0000 – one 200 zero €
PARIS – The Collectors’ Car Department at Artcurial Motorcars has discovered sixty collectors’ automobiles, all major marques dating from the early days of the motor car through to the 1970s. Found following fifty years of lounging dormant, the multi-million-dollar Baillon collection will be sold by Artcurial Motorcars in the very first part of the traditional sale at Retromobile Salon, on Feb. 6, 2015, in Paris.
These motor cars have been tucked away in a property in the west of France, under makeshift corrugated metal shelters and in various outbuildings.
Matthieu Lamoure, managing director at Artcurial Motorcars, said, “Not since the revelation of the Schlumpf Collection in Mulhouse, of which Maître Hervé Poulain was the experienced, has such a group of emblematic automobiles been disclosed and what is more, in such original condition! Visitors to the Retromobile Salon will be able to share in our emotion, much like that experienced by Lord Carrington and Howard Carter coming in Tutankhamun’s tomb. Artcurial will display the magic of these sixty mysterious mechanical creatures, like a giant work of art: the unrealized desire of its holder brought back to life.”
“These sleeping Beauties are clothed in the precious patina of time gone by,” said Pierre Novikoff, motor car specialist. “A collection like this can’t fail to thrill the passions of those who love automobiles, as well as art and history enthusiasts. Never again, anywhere in the world, will such a treasure be unearthed!”
Bugatti, Hispano-Suiza, Talbot-Lago, Panhard-Levassor, Maserati, Ferrari, Delahaye, Delage… these legendary marques make up the extreme cache discovered by the Artcurial car department team, Matthieu Lamoure and Pierre Novikoff. Many of these cars were built by very celebrated coachbuilders such as Million-Guiet, Chapron and Saoutchik, with a number of Talbot Lago T26s including a very infrequent Grand Sport Aérodynamique and a rather extravagant Cabriolet once wielded by King Farouk.
Sheltering in a garage, conserved in good condition, the two specialists came across one of just three Maserati A6G Gran Sports with coachwork by Frua, dating from 1956. Underneath piles of newspapers, they discovered a Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spider, with covered headlights. It had been bought fresh by the actor Gérard Blain, then sold to fellow actor Alain Delon, who was photographed several times at the wheel of this machine, including in one thousand nine hundred sixty four with Jane Fonda during the filming of ‘Les Félins’ and on the Côte d’Azur with Shirley MacLaine. One of thirty seven examples, this Pininfarina-designed cabriolet, its whereabouts unknown to marque historians until now, is corded to attract the attention of collectors of significant historic Ferrari.
This collection was assembled during the 1950s by Roger Baillon, an entrepreneur who ran a transport company based in the west of France. As enthusiast from the early days, he exhibited, at the Paris Motor Showcase during the 1950s, a roadster that he had built.
His fantasy was to conserve the heritage of pre-war automobiles in museum surroundings. During the 1970s, before he could carry out the necessary restoration work, his wish was shattered when his business suffered a setback. He was coerced to sell some fifty cars, and since that time, the rest of the collection did not stir until this discovery.
France barn find worth millions – Old Cars Weekly
France barn find worth millions
1961 Ferrari two hundred fifty GT SWB California Spider • Chassis two thousand nine hundred thirty five • Ex Alain Delon • Baillon Collection. Estimate : nine 500 zero – twelve 000 zero €
1956 Maserati A6G Gran Sport Frua • Chassis two thousand one hundred forty • Baillon Collection. Estimate : eight hundred 0000 – one 200 zero €
PARIS – The Collectors’ Car Department at Artcurial Motorcars has discovered sixty collectors’ automobiles, all major marques dating from the early days of the motor car through to the 1970s. Found following fifty years of lounging dormant, the multi-million-dollar Baillon collection will be sold by Artcurial Motorcars in the very first part of the traditional sale at Retromobile Salon, on Feb. 6, 2015, in Paris.
These motor cars have been tucked away in a property in the west of France, under makeshift corrugated metal shelters and in various outbuildings.
Matthieu Lamoure, managing director at Artcurial Motorcars, said, “Not since the revelation of the Schlumpf Collection in Mulhouse, of which Maître Hervé Poulain was the pro, has such a group of emblematic automobiles been disclosed and what is more, in such original condition! Visitors to the Retromobile Salon will be able to share in our emotion, much like that experienced by Lord Carrington and Howard Carter coming in Tutankhamun’s tomb. Artcurial will display the magic of these sixty mysterious mechanical creatures, like a giant work of art: the unrealized wish of its proprietor brought back to life.”
“These sleeping Beauties are clothed in the precious patina of time gone by,” said Pierre Novikoff, motor car specialist. “A collection like this can’t fail to thrill the passions of those who love automobiles, as well as art and history enthusiasts. Never again, anywhere in the world, will such a treasure be unearthed!”
Bugatti, Hispano-Suiza, Talbot-Lago, Panhard-Levassor, Maserati, Ferrari, Delahaye, Delage… these legendary marques make up the extreme cache discovered by the Artcurial car department team, Matthieu Lamoure and Pierre Novikoff. Many of these cars were built by very celebrated coachbuilders such as Million-Guiet, Chapron and Saoutchik, with a number of Talbot Lago T26s including a very uncommon Grand Sport Aérodynamique and a rather extravagant Cabriolet once possessed by King Farouk.
Sheltering in a garage, conserved in good condition, the two specialists came across one of just three Maserati A6G Gran Sports with coachwork by Frua, dating from 1956. Underneath piles of newspapers, they discovered a Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spider, with covered headlights. It had been bought fresh by the actor Gérard Blain, then sold to fellow actor Alain Delon, who was photographed several times at the wheel of this machine, including in one thousand nine hundred sixty four with Jane Fonda during the filming of ‘Les Félins’ and on the Côte d’Azur with Shirley MacLaine. One of thirty seven examples, this Pininfarina-designed cabriolet, its whereabouts unknown to marque historians until now, is corded to attract the attention of collectors of significant historic Ferrari.
This collection was assembled during the 1950s by Roger Baillon, an entrepreneur who ran a transport company based in the west of France. As enthusiast from the early days, he exhibited, at the Paris Motor Display during the 1950s, a roadster that he had built.
His wish was to conserve the heritage of pre-war automobiles in museum surroundings. During the 1970s, before he could carry out the necessary restoration work, his fantasy was shattered when his business suffered a setback. He was compelled to sell some fifty cars, and since that time, the rest of the collection did not stir until this discovery.