RM Gears up for Inaugural Sporting Classics of Monaco

Hollywood may claim itself as the center of glitz and glamor, but as far as auto aficionados go, it is likely to be upstaged on May 1st by RM Auctions’ first ever Sporting Classics of Monaco. Held at the Grimaldi Forum, within the tiny principality, the event coincides with the 7th annual Historic Grand Prix of Monaco, which brings together some of the most famous and desirable race cars in history, running on one of the most storied and prestigious circuits in the world.

The Sporting Classics auction, will also bring together some of the most desirable and sought after European motorcars in the world and at present, eight of the featured cars have already brought in pre-sale estimates in excess of €1,000,000.

A total of 105 cars are slated to cross the auction block on May 1-2, with a strong focus on British, French, German and Italian marques. Among the featured vehicles up for grabs, is a stunning 1938 Delahaye 135 MS cabriolet, sporting one-off coachwork by famed builders Figoni et Falaschi, custom red leather interior and performance that endowed it with true Gran Turismo prowess, both on the road and racetrack.

Other significant vehicles including a multiple (six) race winning 1960 Maserati Tipo 61 “Birdgcage,” one of 17 ever built, plus a one-off 1937 BMW 328 “Bugelfalte,” built for the company’s racing division (which won it’s class in the 1938 Mille Miglia). Yet another is a 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II “Special”, with body by Brewster -recognized as one of the most historically significant Rolls-Royces ever produced and the only one out of three ever built to retain its original coachwork.

Besides cars, the auction will also feature a diverse assortment of memorabilia, including the world’s largest single-owner collection of Shell Petroliana. The result of some 35 years of judicious collecting by passionate Dutch collector and long-term Shell employee, Mr. Gilles Warning, the collection was amassed during Mr. Warning’s 30-year career at Shell and his many travels around the world. Today, the impressive collection comprises 1,000 different items, which will be sold as a single lot. From porcelain and enamel signs to oil cans and tins, glass pump globes and oil bottles, the collection spans Shell’s history and global presence with many items displayed in English, Dutch, French and Arabic languages.

[Source: RM Auctions]