big hit for old paper
A lifetime of collections of documents and objects relating to automobiles and motorcycles was offered at auction on March 24, 25 and 26 in Rouen. Some 1,700 lots grouped together by François Jolly, a renowned historian in the automobile world, but also in that of motorcycles (our presentation of the sale can be found by clicking here).
Thursday was all about motorcycling. And there was plenty to do since more than five hundred lots were sold. Everything had to go, which means that when a lot did not find a buyer, it was grouped with the next one. So there were some good deals to be had. On the side of very old documents, on the other hand, there is a growing interest in this field.
Perfect illustration, this lot of 4 Motorcycling (No. 11, 12, 13 and 15) from 1919, appears between 20 and 30 euros, will see its bids climb to reach a sale of 240 euros.
The Moto Revue before the Second World War confirms what we said above. The year 1925, almost complete (2 numbers missing), was estimated between 160 and 180 euros. The starting price of 90 euros resulted in an auction of 200 euros (complete year 1926: auctioned 300 euros, complete 1927: 210 euros). On the other hand, one would have thought that the years 1945 and 1946, grouped together in the same lot, would go beyond the 180 euros of the auction. The very first number from 1945, 860, is very hard to find. At that time, paper was scarce and of poor quality, and the French mostly had other priorities.
Much easier to collect, the magazines of the fifties have more or less respected the estimates. These Motorcycles (from n° 1 to n° 18) were sold for 30 euros (estimate between 20 and 30 euros). It should be noted, however, that a batch of “Cyclo Moto” from the early seventies, which expected between 20 and 30 euros, was sold for 250 euros.
This lot of books attributed to English motorcycles was sold for 25 euros (estimate between 15 and 25 euros), which makes 5 euros per book.
Estimated between 20 and 30 euros, this beautiful leaflet presenting the models proposed by the one who will be the first to cross the Channel at the controls of his plane, namely Louis Blériot, will finally be awarded at 80 euros.
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