Sold!

Roadboy's 2017 Arizona Collector Car Auction Roundup

Once again Arizona played host to five collector car auctions last week. And, that means I made my annual pilgrimage to the Barrett Jackson collector car auction at Westworld in Scottsdale.

This year the Barrett Jackson event billed itself as a "Lifestyle" event (which admittedly made Roadboy gag a little bit).

I went on Wednesday this year to avoid the rain and Friday and Saturday's expensive admission prices.

As always it was huge. Yet I did feel like there is a bit more space for the marketing of massage chairs, magnetic ion bracelets and fly-in fishing trips, and just a bit less space showcasing the Auction's signature "Salon" collection. 

No matter, there were still lots of great cars to admire, new hood ornaments to photograph and lots of greasy heart stopping comfort food to eat.

My day always begins by getting my free shirts from Ford and Chevy and is then followed by a methodical sweep through the event site. After seemingly miles of walking and ogling I eventually return to the auction floor and watch the gavel fall on car after car.

This year there were some interesting cars. The Cord Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh drove to the premiere of Gone with The Wind. A sternly aerodynamic Chrysler concept car from the 1955 Turin Auto Show entitled The Gilda. There was Justin Bieber's custom blue Ferrari (with an imperfect Carfax report). There was Burt Reynold's "Smoky and the Bandit" car and an odd Austin Princess hearse John Lennon purchased and converted for his personal use.   

At the event's end on Sunday Barrett Jackson sold over $100,000,000 worth of automobiles (1719 vehicles in all for those keeping track). And, while there seemed to be an endless supply of mustangs, camaros and corvettes all fetching top dollar, the Barrett Jackson only sold two vehicles in the million dollar price range this year.  One was an experimental Chevrolet and the other a lovely 1964 Aston Martin DB5.

Some cars (in my opinion) went for bargains early in the week and others went pretty high (a 1964 21 window VW bus fetched over $302,000). And, while it was a beautiful restoration I'll always remember as a teenager getting trapped following one too many of those oil spewing beasts as they struggled to climb through the Santa Cruz mountains at top speeds reaching 40-45 mph.

Hated that.

This year the most million dollar babies were sold at the RM / Sotheby auction at Phoenix's venerable Arizona Biltmore Resort. The RM / Sotheby auction saw 15 cars exceed the million dollar mark with top honors going to an exquisite 1939 Mercedes Benz selling at $6,600,000.

1964 Aston Martin

(Sold for $1,485,000)

Bonham's auction at Phoenix's Weston Kierland set the record for the single most expensive sale (a 1963 Jaguar D type) that sold for $7,370,000 (a world record for a post 1960's Jaguar's).

A comparison of the sale of high value cars (cars that pass the $1,000,000 mark) shows that this year's million dollar transactions dropped to $78,719,957. Which is a pretty marked decline from last years $101,757,000 in sales. 

Only Bonham's saw a jump in million dollar sales (last year $8,742,000, this year $26,840,000).

The breakdown for million dollar babies was:

Sotheby's RM 15 cars = $34,025,000 (2016 had 18 / $35,635,000)
Gooding's 9 cars = $13,618,000 (2016 had 8 / $21,287,000)

Bonham's 7 cars = $26,840,000 (2016 had 6 / $8,742,000)
Barrett Jackson 3 cars = $2,805,000 (2016 had 3 / $4,445,000)
Russo and Steele 1 car = $1,431,957 (2016 had 0 / $0)

2016 was another year dominated by Ferrari. Of the thirty five vehicles selling for more than $1,000,000, eleven were Ferrari's and six were Mercedes.

Here are my 2017 snaps...

Interior of a New $37,000 Chevrolet Bolt

 1937 Pontiac "Woody" Wagon 

Hood Ornament

 1932 Rolls Royce Springfield Phanton II

(Sold for $341,000)

 1934 Armstrong Siddeley Saloon

(Sold for $28,000)

 1955 Chrysler Gilda Concept Car

(Did Not Meet Reserve)

 1958 Austin Princess Hearse

Owned by John Lennon

(Sold for $159,000)

1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk

(Sold for $95,700) 

 1958 Bentley Flying Spur

(Did Not Meet Reserve)

 1962 Chrysler Imperial

(Sold for $40,700)

1935 Dodge Custom Roadster

Exquisitely Detailed With its Cut-Out Flame Hood

(Sold for $60,500)

A New Ford GT

For Roadboy's photos from 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 (I didn't post for 2011) just click here:

2016 Event

2015 Event

2014 Event

2013 Event

2012 Event

2010 Event

See you next year!

Roadboy's Travels © 2017

Emphatics at the Phoenix Art Museum

Pittsburgh's Avant Garde Boutique

Yesterday I had the chance to see a stunning fashion exhibit entitled: Emphatics Avant Garde Fashion 1963-2013.  

The Phoenix Art Museum exhibit showcased the clothing, fashion accessories and runway show memorabilia collected over a lifetime by James and Karin Legato of Pittsburgh. 

James and Karin Legato

(Photo Emphatics / Legato)

For nearly 50 years the Legato's curated cutting edge fashion to offer their clients in their Emphatics lifestyle boutique in Pittsburgh. 

They built their career by immersing themselves in design and seeking out one-of-a-kind art to wear. And, in the process, they formed lifelong friendships with some of the world's most renowned avant garde designers. The Legato's were known for treating designers with respect.  They understood that design is not linear and sometimes the creative process defies predictable time schedules. Letters from their designers demonstrate a true two-way affection.

 Karin Legato with Jean Paul Gautier

(Photo by James Legato)

The Legato's took exceptional care in serving each of their clients, taking special care to remember previous purchases and suggest how new items might coordinate with previous purchases. When a client tried on clothing at Emphatics, the shop's lighting and design assured they were afforded star treatment.

Thierry Mugler

Silk Dress and Belt 1985

The Emphatics Boutique closed in 2013 after James Legato fell ill (passing away in 2015 at the age of 71).

Emphatic's 

Avant Garde Fashion 1963-2013 

The Emphatics exhibit was beautifully curated by Dennita Sewell working closely with Karin Legato. The exhibition appeared clean and simple, yet the attention to even the smallest detail became very evident.

Displays included works by Alexander McQueen, Thiery Mugler, Claude Montana, Kenzo, Jean Paul Gauthier, Maison Martin Mariela, Azzedine Alaia, Olivier Theyskens, Maud Frizon, Issey Miyake and Kansai Yamamoto.

 Top and Shirt - Issey Miyake 1989

(Heat Pleated Polyester)

Bodysuit-Dress

Maison Martin Margiela 2010

Rayon Crepe 

Jacket (Chamarra) 

Kansai Yamamoto 1979 

Cotton Corduroy 

 Shoes 

Maud Frizon 1986

Suede Metal

 Skirt, Bodysuit and Hood

Azzedine Alaia 1986

Wool Knit

Claude Montana Runway Memorabilia 

 Bustiers

Thierry Mugler 1987

Silk Satin

Runway Show Memorabilia Thierry Mugler

This show was special for me. It comes on the heels of a recent tour of Fallingwater at Bear Run PA (Frank Lloyd Wright's iconic home built by the Kaufmann department store family of Pittsburgh). 

Considered together I feel Pittsburgh has been an incubator for adventurous design.

The Kaufmann's operated Pittsburgh's famous department (whose flagship store was home to Mrs. Kaufmann's trendsetting Vendome Shops). In the Vendome shops Mrs. Kaufman carefully selected Parisian fashion to bring home and sell in Pittsburgh). Kaufmann's department store reached its zenith in the late 1950's.

Then in the 1960's, seemingly on the heels of Kaufmann's, came James Legato's new twist on avant garde design with his Emphatics lifestyle boutique. A design force that lasted right up until its closure in 2013.

We Phoenician's are truly blessed that the Emphatics collection has found a home at the Phoenix Art Museum and offer thanks to the Arizona Costume Institute, the Ellman Foundation and Jane Jozoff.

The Emphatics exhibition captures the sense of a period of exceptional creativity and energy.  An era where we walked on the moon, bought Campbell's soup can art from Andy Warhol and listened to The Beatles, Elvis, grunge and hip hop. 

Roadboy's Travels © 2017

Travel in a Time of Increasing Uncertainty

2017 Has Landed, Guard Your Flank

Followers of Roadboy know I am a proudly contrarian traveler. When crowds go one way I tend to cast my gaze in the opposite direction. And when the crowds catch up, I move on. I consider my travel dollars will both broaden my horizons and financially support troubled local economies when selecting travel destinations.  

Rocky and Co-Pilot 

(My Travel Buddies) 

All Prepared for 2017!

When Ireland, Spain and Portugal were suffering devastating unemployment rates, I put them on my itinerary and have since fallen deeply in love with each.

Now happily they are showing up on everyone's 2017 "Hot" lists and I say "good on 'em!"

After the WTC attacks, when otherwise rational friends announced they'd "never travel again", I planned a trip to New York City.

And, despite repeated terrorist attacks in France, Germany and Belgium, I never think twice about returning to each. Because each of these countries fiercely adheres to the rule of law.

When foot and mouth struck England in 2001, we set off for London. And, when swine flu struck Mexico in 2009, we experienced the stunning (and uncrowded) ruins of Chichen Itza.

However in 2017 Roadboy is becoming more cautious. While I'll still direct travel dollars toward natures recovering  economically (right now Iceland would be an example), I am avoiding destinations ruled by thugs & gangs and where there is no longer a  rule of law. I also avoid places that identify segments of their citizenry for ridicule and victimization.

Some examples....Russia. Turkey, the Philippines and perhaps North Carolina.

Roadboy's Travels © 2017