8 November 2014
Yesterday’s CARs Looking into the world of Classic and modern Classic cars with one eye on the past (Past issues of CAR magazine) This is the first auction, of any kind (cars or otherwise) that I have been to. I decided to visit Arterial simply because Paris is one of my nearest major cities. Brussels would have been an alternative. I went not knowing what to expect; I had read about the results of auctions when record sales prices had been reached. Perhaps there would be a car bargain which would interest me. So the venue and timing were convenient so ‘Let’s start here’, I thought.
A Sunday in Paris in November 02 November 2014. I arrived at the auction house around noon. Artcurial has the advantage of being headquartered in a beautiful house on one of the ‘Rondels’ on the Champs Elysées. When I arrived, things were relatively quiet. A few cars were placed in front of the house, others in the company’s garage adjacent to the building. A Mercedes 1972 450SL - cars that I always have a soft- spot for was one of them, although the particular example didn’t really ‘speak to me’. I spoke briefly with one of Artcurial’s staff, an 1
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Englishman, who was welcoming and friendly. I took a brief look around the offerings in the garage. This was more of a underground showroom than a ‘car park’ ; I did feel that the light did not set the cars off very well, I must admit. I had arrived perhaps a little too early. I left Artcurial to find something to eat and spent the afternoon strolling around Paris always makes it easy to spend time. When I returned at 5.30, the level of activity had increased a great deal. Entrance was gained with a catalogue which I had bought earlier that day. I had specifically NOT registered to bid; I was only there to observe. As this was my first time at an auction I did not want to get swept along. If I could not bid then I would not bid!
The cars arranged outside the auction premises
The audience was predominantly male, predominantly French. the auctioneer made an introduction which I felt was perhaps too self -deprecating; He spoke about how Arterial was catching up with the leading Anglo- American auction houses. His aim was, I think, to create an image as being a ‘bit of an old duffer’ whilst his colleague, on the floor, a younger man, was cast as the ‘mover and shaker’. I feel that this was a piece of artifice which has served them well on this and previous occasions! There was a high element of theatre which accompanied the whole proceedings. The salesroom was packed. There had been some discrimination between those who had registered to bid and those who were ‘merely’ observers, but this was done discreetly and was soon dispensed with a people moved around - but about half the audience were standing. The cars were not actually there at the time of sale. There had been ample opportunity over the last two days to inspect any vehicle. I did feel, however,that a certain frisson which 2
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results from having the beasts appear on a podium, was missing. Does this affect the price paid?. A projected picture was shown, but this is not even a ‘sizzle’. From the instant the first lot was presented, the whole atmosphere of the salesroom changed. There is a lot of pent- up tension in such a room - after people had stood 15 minutes waiting for the start. This tension was maintained during the all the time I stayed. Strong lighting, a dense crowd, dehydration, a pace forced all the time. One thing is sure - there was no ‘fun’ in this room, for people allegedly involved in their hobby on a Sunday evening. To be continued………..
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