It is not every day that an entire collection is sold, but the Ford and Lincoln collection held by the Den Hartogh Museum in Hillegom in the Netherlands is probably unique. The world's largest Ford collection is now history, however, as Bonhams auctioned off all of the vehicles - a total of 300 lots, including around 50 motorcycles and several trailers - on June 23, 2018.
All vehicles were sold, which is no wonder, as there was no limit even for the most valuable lots. A total of EUR 6.16 million (CHF 7.1 million) was realized, with an average of EUR 27,965 (CHF 32,254) paid per car.
Almost exclusively Ford
The Den Hartogh Museum had concentrated on Ford automobiles. The Lincoln brand was also part of it.
Accordingly, around 2/3 of the lots were Ford cars. From the Ford Quadricycle to the Lincoln Zephyr, there were many treasures from the long history of the Ford Motor Company.
Pre-war vehicles in particular
The focus of the Den Hartogh collection was certainly on the early Ford models from the pre-war period, with almost seven-eighths of the cars on offer dating from 1896 to 1942, while the post-war period was only represented by a small variety of models up to 1954, including a DAF and a Mercedes-Benz.
The oldest cars were the most expensive
It quickly became apparent that the 500 registered bidders were primarily interested in the early models of the Ford brand. The most expensive car sold was the 1905 Ford Model B Side Entrance Tonneau (lot 192), which triggered a long bidding war that only ended when the bids approached around six times the estimate, resulting in a sale price of EUR 419,750.
The 1906 Ford Model K Open Tourer (lot 195) was similarly expensive, finding a new owner for EUR 345,000 (estimate EUR 200,000 to 300,000).
Ford more expensive than Lincoln
Although Lincoln models were actually positioned as Ford's luxury brand, the vehicles on offer fetched lower prices than the Ford models.
A 1930 Lincoln Model L Seven Passenger Touring (lot 149) reached EUR 80,500, around 40 percent above the estimate, and was the most expensive Lincoln.
And a snowmobile
A snowmobile based on a 1930 Ford Model A (lot 236), which sold for EUR 87,500, around four times the estimate, also fetched a really good price.
The good response to the pre-war cars on offer is astonishing, but there are obviously still enough fans of the simple and robust vehicles from the decade to the 1930s. In any case, the auction was a complete success for Bonhams, but the beautiful museum in Den Hartogh is now sadly history.
Results of the auction
The table below shows all car lots sold (and a few trailers, fire pumps), motorcycles and spare parts are not listed. The sales prices are listed in EUR and CHF, the conversion rate was 1 EUR = 1.153 CHF. All information without guarantee.
| Lot | Car | Year | EUR SP | CHF SP | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | Ford Model T Fire Truck | 1922 | 10'925 | 12'596 | V |
| 102 | Ford Model T C-Cab Delivery | 1912 | 25'300 | 29'170 | V |
| 103 | Ford Model A Town Car Delivery | 1931 | 14'950 | 17'237 | V |
| 104 | Ford Model T 'Depot Hack' | 1921 | 11'500 | 13'259 | V |
| 105 | Ford Model T 'Depot Hack' | 1922 | 10'925 | 12'596 | V |
| 106 | Ford Model T 'Depot Hack/Bus' | 1923 | 16'100 | 18'563 | V |
| 107 | Ford Model TT Truck Flat Bed Truck | 1926 | 9775 | 11'270 | V |
All information is provided without guarantee.
Legend: Column S = Status (V = Sold, N = Not sold, Z = Withdrawn, U = Under reserve)
Est = Estimate, HP = Hammer Price, SP = Sale Price
