Mullin Collection Brings $19m

When a renowned collector’s cars come to market, records tend to fall. That was the case this past weekend in Oxnard, CA, where Gooding & Company presented an auction of a select number of lots from the Peter Mullin Collection.

In total, 114 lots were offered and sold on April 26, accounting for $19,016,295 in overall sales. In many cases, Gooding’s high estimates fell well short of cars’ final selling prices — an expected outcome considering both the high-quality lots on offer and their connection with Mullin’s museum.

The biggest sale of the day was a 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Aravais ‘Special Cabriolet’ at $6,605,000 — or double its pre-sale high estimate and a new record price for a 57C Aravais. The car was originally ordered new by Bugatti racing driver Maurice Trintignant, and was later awarded a Pebble Beach Concours class win. 

A 1930 Bugatti Type 46 Semi-Profilee Coupe also set a record for the model — $1,105,000. 

Other cars to outperform their high estimates included a 1912 Renault Type CB Landaulet at $257,600, a 1938 Avions Voisin Type C30 Cabriolet at $357,000, and the 1966 Citroën 2CV Sahara, which found new ownership for $128,800.  

In addition, a 1933 Hispano-Suiza J12 Cabriolet brought $2,315,000, while a 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster sold for $1,105,000. Cars from the Schlumpf Reserve Collection also did well here, including a 1927 Bugatti Type 40 ‘Break de Chasse’ which brought $445,000, a 1927 Bugatti Type 40 Faux Cabriolet sold for $246,400, and the 1931 Bugatti Type 40A Roadster that sold at $302,000.

“The spectacular performance of this auction only serves as a testament to the Mullin name, signifying the influence and weight of the legacy left behind by Peter and the commitment to excellence as embodied in the collection he curated with his wife, Merle,” said Gooding & Company President and Co-Founder, David Gooding. “It was an honor to conduct this sale at the Mullin Automotive Museum, where Charlie Ross masterfully steered a room and global network of some of our most serious clients and collectors as he sent off these important artifacts to new homes and collections.”  

Top Five Lots:

• Lot 22 – 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Aravis ‘Special Cabriolet,’ sold for $6,605,000
• Lot 67 – 1933 Hispano-Suiza J12 Cabriolet, sold for $2,315,000
• Lot 57 – 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, sold for $1,105,000
• Lot 88 – 1930 Bugatti Type 46 Semi-Profilée Coupe, sold for $1,105,000
• Lot 44 – 1937 Delage D8-120 Three-Position Cabriolet, sold for $731,000

New World Auction Records:

• Lot 22 – 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Aravis ‘Special Cabriolet,’ sold for $6,605,000 (a world record for the model)
• Lot 88 – 1930 Bugatti Type 46 Semi-Profilée Coupe, sold for $1,105,000 (a world record for the model)

Learn more here.