RM to lift gavel on Pate Museum collection June 5

Pate Museum was once regarded as one of the foremost tourist
attractions in the Southwest. Photo by Keith Koscak © 2010,
courtesy RM Auction

The cars will be offered without reserve.

Located in Cresson, just south of Fort Worth, the Pate Museum was regarded as a prime example of “one Texan’s devotion to all things mobile” and the result of over 40 years of judicious collecting by the late Aggie Pate, former owner of the Texas Refinery Co., and his brother Sebert.

In operation from 1969 to 2009, the museum — which also hosted Texas’ renowned Pate Swap Meet for many years — was regarded as one of the foremost tourist attractions in the Southwest.

“RM is honored to have been entrusted by the Pate Family to auction their automobile collection,” says Ian Kelleher, President and COO, RM Auctions. “The offering encompasses a wide range of marques and eras and presents a diverse range of ownership opportunities, with many examples coming to the market for the first time in decades following long-term display in the museum.”

Sharon Pate, daughter of the late Aggie Pate, adds, “While it will be bittersweet to say goodbye to the collection, we look forward to sharing my father’s legacy with other passionate enthusiasts. We are excited to be working with RM and hope the cars bring as much joy to their new owners as they have brought our family and the museum’s many visitors over the years.”

From ‘A’ to ‘Z’ – a 1935 Aston Martin MK III Tourer to a 1950 ZIM Russian Limousine - the diverse roster of cars is expected to attract strong interest from collectors across the continent.

Auction highlights include a rare, award-winning 1935 Pierce Arrow V-12 Silver Arrow; an early 1903 Cadillac Rear Entrance Tonneau, a part of the museum collection since the 1970s and previously part of the Amon Carter Collection in Fort Worth; and a handsome 1929 Packard 645 Seven Passenger Touring.

In linking to the museum’s Texas roots, the offering also includes the 1962 Checker Taxi Cab, hailed by Lee Harvey Oswald immediately after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy; and a one-off “Texas-size” 1938 Longhorn Custom Roadster, which measures nearly 20 feet in length.

Full details will be posted online at www.rmauctions.com, or call 519-352-4575.

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