Over £850,000-worth of items sold at Cheffins’ first timed online Vintage Sale

MB Trac 1100 tractor

Cheffins’ Cambridge Vintage Sale at Sutton, near Ely from the 17^th – 22^nd July saw a number of the world’s most unusual classic and vintage tractors, alongside vintage motorbikes, classic commercial vehicles, petroliana and collector’s items go under the hammer, grossing over £850,000 in total. With bidders from across the globe, the July sale was the first to accept bids solely online or by proxy over a three-day period and was a major event for collectors and enthusiasts.

The top price paid was £70,250 for an MB Trac 1100 tractor, which made £20,000 over its pre-sale estimate. Dating back to 1990 with only 2,407 hours on the clock, the tractor was one of over 100 to go under the virtual hammer and the price achieved is illustrative of the demand for top quality classic examples. Another tractor which saw competitive bidding was a very original Massey Ferguson 188 from a small farming estate in Cambridgeshire which made £14,250, a UK record price for this make and model.

The second highest price achieved was £64,500 for a 1948 Bentley Special, well over the £40,000 – £50,000 estimate. The car was discovered in an old garage in Pembrokeshire in 1985 in a stripped-down condition and was then created into a pre-war style racer by the current owner. Work was carried out by an ex-Rolls-Royce coachbuilder, whilst the original engine was retained. Of 60 motorcycles on offer, a 1936 Moto Guzzi sold for £9,000 whilst a 1947 Lyclone JAP V twin was sold for £7,800, whilst a 1990 1340cc Harley Davidson Electra Glide Sport sold for £4,500, with all proceeds being gifted to NHS charities. A 1960 Velocette Venom made £7,000.

Amongst the ever popular petroliana section, a period Leyland double-sided illuminated sign sold for £4,900. This was one of over 1,000 lots which included petrol pumps, enamel and illuminated signs, forecourt maps and so on, as well as a sizeable collection belonging to Stewart Imber of Goodwood Revival and set and prop hire company, Themed Garages.

Bill King, Chairman, Cheffins, says: “Coronavirus clearly has had no effect on the appetite for the best quality classic and vintage items in the market and we saw frantic bidding on a number of lots due to pent-up demand. This was the first time we have offered the sale in a timed online format and the final results go to show the feasibility of this format for further sales in future. Whilst we missed our usual crowds of buyers at the saleground, we hope to have satisfied some of those who were desperate to pick up a post-lockdown purchase. With over 700 buyers registered, we saw bidding  from throughout the UK, Europe and the USA and will be shipping these items far and wide over the coming weeks. There was particular appetite in the classic car and motorcycle sections and we look forward to offering another strong contingent of options for this part of the sale in October.”

The next sale will be on 24^th October 2020.

1948 Bentley Special

For more information please visit www.cheffins.co.uk, or call Cheffins auctioneers on 01353 777767.

All results reported are hammer prices.

Commission rates:

Tractors and vehicles – 7 per cent

Motorcycles – 9 per cent

All other items – 10 per cent