Sale of renowned Dingman Collection resumes in June

RM Auctions has added The Dingman Collection to its expanding 2012 calendar. Scheduled June 8-9 in Hampton, N.H., just 50 miles from Boston, the upcoming sale is a continuation of RM’s highly successful Dingman auction in 2006.

The result of many years of careful and meticulous acquisition by prominent businessman, investor and philanthropist, Michael Dingman, a former Ford Motor Company director for over 21 years, the Dingman Collection is regarded as one of the finest of its kind. From a remarkable series of automobiles, each restored by marque experts to be the best of its type, to one of the world’s most impressive automotive sign collections, the offering is unique in terms of quality and presentation.

The upcoming sale will feature nearly 50 automobiles and well in excess of 1,400 signs, each offered "without reserve," presenting a range of exclusive ownership opportunities to savvy collectors.

“We are honored to have been entrusted with the sale of Michael Dingman’s esteemed collection,” says Mike Fairbairn, director and co-founder, RM Auctions. “The collection is wonderfully representative of Ford’s history, spanning many years of automotive production, complemented by stunning signage that illuminated dealerships, advertised automotive products and enticed you to stop at one gas station over another. It reflects Mr. Dingman’s eye for exceptional quality and incredible drive for perfection, with each lot presented in immaculate condition, representing the very finest of its category.”

For Ford enthusiasts, the Dingman Collection comprises a superb assortment from Ford’s flathead era, with highly desirable V-8 Fords and Mercurys as well as V-12-powered Lincolns. Of particular interest, most feature open body styles. Also on offer are a number of spectacular woodies, along with the centerpiece of the collection, the 1936 Ford Model 48 Cabriolet with coachwork by the German firm Gläser, the winner of a new class created at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2011. Each restored motor car was submitted to marque specialists with instructions for restoration to the highest possible standard – the objective being to attain 1,000-point scores at Early Ford V-8 Club national meets.

In addition to the automobiles, the sale will also lift the gavel on more than 1,400 rare and desirable neon, tin and porcelain signs, each of which has either been masterfully preserved for its remarkable originality and inimitable patina or submitted to experts for restoration, in order to ensure that the quality and appearance matches the original finish as closely as possible. The variety of signs is tremendous, with a key focus on automotive-related pieces, ranging from dealership and car company signs to petroliana as well as assorted memorabilia and other non-automotive lots. All were carefully chosen by experts who scoured the country in search of the very best examples.

“The selection of signs is truly extraordinary and offers a wonderful story about American automotive history,” adds Fairbairn. “Everything from the building of the first interstates to 1950s Americana is reflected in each piece of neon and fully restored tin and porcelain. Furthermore, each neon sign is presented in fully operational condition.”

Further information and full event details on the Dingman Collection 2012 will be posted online at www.rmauctions.com in the coming weeks.

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