Over three generations, the Bothwell family has collected some of the most interesting and legendary racing cars and maintained them in a collection known far and wide. However, the cars were not only put in a museum, but also driven, some of them even in their own races as part of the Vanderbuilt Cup. Lindley and Ann Bothwell collected real treasures, and on November 12, 2017, they went under the hammer at Bothwell Ranch in California.
After several hours of auctioning off model trains, automobiles, engines and all sorts of other items from the Bothwell collection, including railroad cars and a steam locomotive, which went for USD 150,000 or five times the upper estimate, it was finally the turn of the "real" cars, led by a motorcycle with sidecar.
Pre-war racing cars
The gems in the Bothwells' extensive collection were, of course, the pre-war racing cars from the first two decades of the 20th century. They were complemented by special road vehicles, which were also almost exclusively from the pre-war period.
The total value of the 48 vehicles had been estimated in advance at around USD 8.5 million (EUR 7.4 million, CHF 8.5 million).
Lively demand, many surprises
However, bidders were much more generous than expected on November 11, 2017. On average, they paid USD 272,530 instead of USD 177,542 per car. All 48 vehicles were sold! In total (incl. 10% surcharge/commission), USD 13.1 million (EUR 11.2 million, CHF 13 million) was raised, i.e. over 50% more than expected.
31 lots were sold above the median estimate, with large upward swings in particular for two relatively low-priced racing cars, a 1912 Buick Model 43 and a 1920 Hudson Super Six (lots 432 and 431), both estimated at USD 20,000 to 30,000, but sold for USD 90,200 (EUR 77,398, CHF 89,712).
A total of nine cars found new owners for more than twice the estimated value, but these were all offers in the four- and five-digit range, although in two cases they also sold for six figures.
The most expensive Peugeot in the world?
The undisputed highlight of the auction was the Peugeot L45 Grand Prix two-seater from 1914, with an estimated price of USD 3 to 5 million. But the car really is a gem! It is brimming with technology that was still considered "state of the art" many decades later. People like Ernest Henry, Paolo Zuccarelli, Georges Boillot and Jules Goux worked on the pioneering design. It began with the L76, followed by the L56 and finally the L45, the numbers standing for the displacement in each case.
The four-cylinder engine had two overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder, a configuration that was still considered progressive in the 1970s. All four wheels were braked. The 4491 cm3 engine in the L45 with chassis number 1 and engine number 1 produced 112 hp at 2800 rpm.
The racing history is impressive. Dario Resta drove the car to victory in Indianapolis in 1916, after the car had already finished third in the 1914 ACF Lyon Grand Prix with Ralph Mulford. The fact that the car has survived almost completely in its original condition is almost a miracle, and it is no wonder that international collectors were so interested in it.
Auctioneer Malcolm Barber took the first bid at USD 1.5 million, then a fierce bidding war broke out in the auction room, which only ended at USD 6.6 million. The new proud owner was able to acquire the Peugeot for USD 7.3 million (EUR 6.3 million, CHF 7.2 million).
A legendary Benz
In 1908, the German Fritz Erle won a Benz "Prinz Heinrich" 50 HP sports car in a multi-day road race organized by Prinz Heinrich, a motorsport fan. The car was an extremely expensive, hand-built example that was able to reach speeds of over 160 km/h thanks to its extremely advanced technology.
Only a few of these cars were built, one was brought to the USA by Barney Oldfield. This car from 1908 was estimated to be the second most expensive at USD 1 to 1.5 million. It did not disappoint, as it was eventually sold for USD 1.87 million (EUR 1.6 million, CHF 1.9 million).
In its slipstream, so to speak, the Mercedes-Simplex 65 HP two-seater racing car, dating from around the same year, also broke the million barrier. USD 1.07 million (EUR 920,284, CHF 1.07 million) was the final price tag for this impressive open-top sports car with a 9.4-liter four-cylinder engine.
Cheaper cars too
Not everything could be gilded at Bothwell Ranch.
A 1911 Sears Model P Four-Passenger Wagon (Lot 442), for example, sold for just USD 9900, 60% below the expected value. 39 of the 48 vehicles were offered without a reserve price, but only a few of them were sold.
For the fun of it
Lindley and Ann Bothwell did not buy their vehicles and memorabilia for profit. On the contrary. Part of the collection died in a fire in the late 1940s. The Bothwells tirelessly rebuilt their collection and certainly never thought of selling it. They paid USD 2500 for the Peugeot L45 in 1949. They drove the cars again and again and also made them available to their friends and for filming, for example the Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Open Drive Landaulette from 1912 could be seen in the film "My Fair Lady".
Fans of early racing cars are also recommended to take a look at the 160-page catalog, as it not only contains photos of today's cars, but also pictures from the past, such as when the Bothwells drove their cars on the Riverside circuit over 50 years ago.
Vehicles offered and sold
The following table lists all offered vehicles with estimated prices (Est) in USD, as well as with sales prices (VP) (incl. 10% surcharge/commission in USD, EUR and CHF). In the column "% Est" the sales prices (incl. surcharge/commission) are compared with the average estimated value. All figures without guarantee.
The list can be sorted as desired by clicking on the column headings.
| Lot | Vehicle | Year | $ Est from | $ Est to | $VP | € VP | CHF VP | % Est |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 | Honda GL1100 Gold Wing Custom | 1981 | 5000 | 8000 | 5500 | 4719 | 5470 | 0.85 |
| 401 | Excelsior Auto-Cycle V-Twin | 1916 | 20000 | 25000 | 18700 | 16045 | 18598 | 0.83 |
| 402 | Clément-Panhard 4½hp Type VCP Voiture Légère Vis-a-Vis (year approx.) | 1900 | 40000 | 50000 | 60500 | 51913 | 60172 | 1.34 |
| 403 | Rolls Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Pick-up | 1926 | 50000 | 70000 | 159500 | 136862 | 158637 | 2.66 |
| 404 | Ford Model AA Police Truck | 1929 | 10000 | 15000 | 8250 | 7079 | 8205 | 0.66 |
| 405 | Ford Model TT Stake Bed Truck | 1923 | 10000 | 15000 | 17050 | 14630 | 16957 | 1.36 |
| 406 | Ford Model T Speedster | 1925 | 3000 | 4000 | 6600 | 5663 | 6564 | 1.89 |
| 407 | Ford Model T Coupe | 1924 | 4000 | 5000 | 11550 | 9910 | 11487 | 2.57 |
| 408 | Peugeot L45 Grand Prix Two Seater | 1914 | 3000000 | 5000000 | 7260000 | 6229620 | 7220753 | 1.82 |
| 409 | Fiat Modle 56 50 HP 7-Passenger Touring (year approx.) | 1913 | 70000 | 90000 | 60500 | 51913 | 60172 | 0.76 |
| 410 | National Six Series AA Coupe | 1915 | 30000 | 40000 | 41800 | 35867 | 41574 | 1.19 |
| 411 | Studebaker Hearse | 1915 | 8000 | 12000 | 15400 | 13214 | 15316 | 1.54 |
| 412 | Ford Model TT Fire Truck | 1922 | 14000 | 16000 | 10450 | 8966 | 10393 | 0.7 |
| 413 | Locomobile Model 48 Series Town Car C.P. Kimball & Co. | 1925 | 50000 | 70000 | 51700 | 44362 | 51420 | 0.86 |
| 414 | Winton 48-HP Model 17A Seven-Passenger Touring | 1910 | 125000 | 150000 | 160600 | 137806 | 159731 | 1.17 |
| 415 | Mitchell Model R "Fire Chief's" Two Seater Runabout | 1911 | 15000 | 20000 | 27500 | 23597 | 27351 | 1.57 |
| 416 | Ford Model TT Open Sided Van (Yr approx.) | 1915 | 10000 | 15000 | 11000 | 9438 | 10940 | 0.88 |
| 417 | Packard Model G Four-Passenger Surrey | 1902 | 250000 | 350000 | 423500 | 363394 | 421210 | 1.41 |
| 418 | Cadillac Racer | 1912 | 20000 | 30000 | 63800 | 54745 | 63455 | 2.55 |
| 419 | Ford Model AA Flatbed Truck | 1930 | 8000 | 10000 | 10120 | 8683 | 10065 | 1.12 |
| 420 | Benz 75/105 HP Prinz-Heinrich Raceabout (year approx.) | 1908 | 1000000 | 1500000 | 1870000 | 1604599 | 1859891 | 1.5 |
| 421 | Austro Daimler / Austrian Daimler Touring Victoria (year approx.) | 1912 | 120000 | 140000 | 176000 | 151021 | 175048 | 1.35 |
| 422 | Mitchell Model F Touring | 1907 | 35000 | 50000 | 71500 | 61352 | 71113 | 1.68 |
| 423 | Ford V-8 Super DeLuxe "Woodie" Station Wagon | 1948 | 30000 | 50000 | 50600 | 43418 | 50326 | 1.27 |
| 424 | Cadillac DeVille | 2005 | 5000 | 7000 | 5500 | 4719 | 5470 | 0.92 |
| 425 | Ford Model T C-Cab Delivery (year approx.) | 1913 | 8000 | 12000 | 10450 | 8966 | 10393 | 1.05 |
| 426 | Packard 1-38 "Dominant Six" Runabout | 1914 | 80000 | 120000 | 143000 | 122704 | 142226 | 1.43 |
| 427 | Mercedes-Simplex 65 HP Two Seater Raceabout (year approx.) | 1908 | 900000 | 1200000 | 1072500 | 920284 | 1066702 | 1.02 |
| 428 | Ford Model T Scorpion with Frontenec Head | 1921 | 10000 | 15000 | 18700 | 16045 | 18598 | 1.5 |
| 429 | Ford Model A Roadster | 1931 | 5000 | 10000 | 17600 | 15102 | 17504 | 2.35 |
| 430 | Chandler Six Two-man Racing Car (year approx.) | 1926 | 20000 | 30000 | 60500 | 51913 | 60172 | 2.42 |
| 431 | Hudson Super Six Two-Man Racing Car (Yr approx.) | 1920 | 20000 | 30000 | 90200 | 77398 | 89712 | 3.61 |
| 432 | Buick Model 43 Two Seater Racer | 1912 | 20000 | 30000 | 90200 | 77398 | 89712 | 3.61 |
| 433 | Pope-Hardford Model W 50HP "Racer" | 1910 | 80000 | 100000 | 264000 | 226531 | 262572 | 2.93 |
| 434 | Ford Model F 16 HP Twin Cylinder Tonneau | 1905 | 25000 | 35000 | 40700 | 34923 | 40479 | 1.36 |
| 435 | Henderson-powered Midget Race Car (year approx.) | 1923 | 15000 | 25000 | 22000 | 18877 | 21881 | 1.1 |
| 436 | Stearns Model 15/30 | 1910 | 20000 | 30000 | 66000 | 56632 | 65643 | 2.64 |
| 437 | Rolls-Royce 40/50HP Open Drive Landaulette Muhlbacher et Fils, Paris | 1912 | 450000 | 600000 | 385000 | 330358 | 382918 | 0.73 |
| 438 | Ford Model T Touring | 1914 | 15000 | 20000 | 9350 | 8022 | 9299 | 0.53 |
| 439 | Ford Model T Roadster | 1912 | 15000 | 20000 | 8800 | 7551 | 8752 | 0.5 |
| 440 | Smith Flyer | 1917 | 8000 | 12000 | 8800 | 7551 | 8752 | 0.88 |
| 441 | REO 8HP Model B Two/Four Seater Runabout | 1906 | 20000 | 25000 | 17600 | 15102 | 17504 | 0.78 |
| 442 | Sears Model P Four-Passenger Wagon | 1911 | 20000 | 30000 | 9900 | 8494 | 9846 | 0.4 |
| 443 | Maxwell 14HP Model AB Twin Cylinder Runabout | 1911 | 20000 | 30000 | 24200 | 20765 | 24069 | 0.97 |
| 444 | Holsman 10 HP Two Cylinder Surrey (year approx.) | 1905 | 35000 | 50000 | 17600 | 15102 | 17504 | 0.41 |
| 445 | Crestmobile Model B 3½ HP Runabout (year approx.) | 1901 | 30000 | 40000 | 39600 | 33979 | 39385 | 1.13 |
| 446 | AC Delivery Vehicle (year approx.) | 1910 | 15000 | 25000 | 18700 | 16045 | 18598 | 0.94 |
| 447 | Autocar Type 10 Runabout (year approx.) | 1906 | 20000 | 30000 | 48400 | 41530 | 48138 | 1.94 |
