The hype around barnfind Aston Martins shows no sign of abating following the £6m Bonhams declared for its annual marque sale on 21 May when a project, off-the-road for 35 years DB5 saloon sold for £282,000.
The result, which followed a battle between 11 phone and five absentee bidders – not to mention some seven in the room - was a staggering five times the Superleggera beauty’s lower £50 – 60,000 estimate and even more impressive when you consider that sort of money would buy a fully restored example at most top marque specialists.
Also making spectacular money on the restoration front was a 60,000miles-from-new barn find 1963 DB4 Convertible that smashed its reasonable £80 – 140,000 guide to change hands for £309,500 while a superb restored 1963 DB4 Series V Vantage Convertible (below) took top slot at the Works Service sale with at £507,500.
Other impressive hammer prices included the guide-busting £430,500 one bidder shelled out for a super-rare DB5 Shooting Brake (estimate £250 – 300,000; below) while James Bond fever stoked up prices on replicas of the Astons used in 007 films.
