Even with talk of a classic market slowdown, a car selling for £5.5m at auction remains relatively routine these days – particularly around Monterey Week or the annual Scottsdale extravaganza.
But rewind to 1987 and that figure set a new world record in a Christie’s sale that was a watershed moment for the classic car world and remains one of those true ‘I was there’ events.
‘There’ was the Royal Albert Hall on 19 November 1987, in itself a groundbreaking choice that set a precedent for dramatic venues and auction razzmatazz.
The face of the late and much-missed auctioneer Robert Brooks was projected on to a big screen above the 10 cars that were to cross the block, with an audience of 3000 including Classic & Sports Car’s correspondent, feverishly taking notes for the Sales talk report in our January 1988 issue.
November 1987’s world record led to this advertisement in the March and April ’88 editions of Classic & Sports Car
‘Although [the] sale might not be regarded as an unmitigated success,’ we wrote, ‘with four of the ten cars offered not selling, Robert Brooks… was very pleased with the record-breaking £5,500,000 ($9,867,000) raised for the Bugatti ‘Kellner Coach’ Royale.
