Maria Callas was one of the most famous opera singers of all time and obviously enjoyed traveling in a Mercedes-Benz 600. Otherwise, she would hardly have bought two of these cars in succession. Both ended up with the same car collector, who became her friend through the transactions. The two Mercedes-Benz 600s will now be auctioned off together with nine other collector's items in Monaco on July 20, 2015.
The diva's cars
The auction in Monaco is not about huge sums. The total estimated value of the eleven vehicles on offer is just around EUR 435,000 (CHF 452,400) and they will all go under the hammer without a reserve price. An average of around Euro 39,545 or CHF 41,127 per car is therefore expected.
The two Mercedes-Benz 600s from 1967 and 1971, which were once owned by Maria Callas, were estimated to be the most expensive. Both are silver-colored, the older one has a leather interior, the younger one a velour interior. The low mileage is evidence of their rare use. After being used by the opera singer, both cars came directly into the hands of the collector, accompanied by documents and correspondence between him and Maria Callas.
The Mercedes-Benz 600 was the most luxurious German-made car of the time, driven by Hollywood stars, aristocrats, the rich and important.
Two antipodes
At both ends of a huge spectrum of performance and technology are two other cars in the auction.
While the Lamborghini Diablo from 1992 represents the super sports car of the 1990s, the Cadillac Type S from 1908 shows how cars were built at the beginning of the 20th century. Twelve cylinders against one cylinder, the collector really had a broad taste, as the Dodge Command Car, a military vehicle from the 1940s, proves.
Above all luxury limousines
However, the collector's primary interest lay in large luxury limousines, as he was also on the board of the Rolls-Royce Club. Rolls-Royce Silver Spur, Aston Martin Lagonda, Mercedes-Benz 600 SEL or Cadillac Brougham 6 Dors were all quintessential products of their time.
And the Bentley S3 from 1965 also has a special feature: it has a Rolls-Royce radiator.
Realistic estimates
Overall, the vehicles appear to be favorably valued, especially in view of the very low mileage in some cases. However, they have all been driven very little and Artcurial recommends extensive service/overhaul work for several of them. How the bidders will behave will be revealed on July 20.
Further information on the auction can be found on the Artcurial website.
Vehicles on offer
The following table shows all the vehicles on offer with estimated prices in euros and CHF. The conversion was made at the daily exchange rate of 1 Euro = 1.04 CHF. All lots are auctioned without a reserve price. All information without guarantee.
| Lot | Vehicle | Year | € Est from | € Est to | CHF Est from | CHF Est to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aston Martin Lagonda | 1989 | 40000 | 60000 | 41600 | 62400 |
| 2 | Rolls-Royce Corniche III | 1990 | 40000 | 60000 | 41600 | 62400 |
| 3 | Mercedes Benz 600 Limousine - ex Maria Callas | 1966 | 60000 | 100000 | 62400 | 104000 |
| 4 | Rolls-Royce Silver Spur | 1988 | 18000 | 24000 | 18720 | 24960 |
| 5 | Lamborghini Diablo | 1992 | 40000 | 80000 | 41600 | 83200 |
| 6 | Mercedes-Benz 600 SEL | 1991 | 6000 | 10000 | 6240 | 10400 |
| 7 | Mercedes-Benz 600 Limousine - ex Maria Callas | 1971 | 60000 | 100000 | 62400 | 104000 |
| 8 | Cadillac Type S double phaéton | 1908 | 30000 | 60000 | 31200 | 62400 |
| 9 | Dodge Command Car | 1943 | 4000 | 6000 | 4160 | 6240 |
| 10 | Cadillac Brougham Limousine 6 Doors | 1988 | 5000 | 7000 | 5200 | 7280 |
| 11 | Bentley S3 | 1965 | 25000 | 35000 | 26000 | 36400 |
