Sweet success in Hershey! RM Sotheby’s Auction totals $13.79 million with a 97% sell-through rate

BLENHEIM, Ontario - RM Sotheby’s returned to the Hershey Lodge for its 19th annual sale, held during the Antique Automobile Club of America’s (AACA) Eastern Division Fall Meet. Over the two-day event, RM Sotheby’s achieved $13.79 million in total sales with 97 percent of all lots finding new homes, drawing a packed room of bidders and underscoring Hershey’s place as one of the most important gatherings in the collector car calendar.

The auction presented 145 motor cars spanning more than eight decades of automotive history. Leading the lineup was the Suzy Q Collection, a diverse group of 51 motor cars curated over two decades by the late Saul “Sonny” Schwartz and offered entirely without reserve. Strong bidding across the collection, as well as for Brass Era and Classic offerings, reinforced Hershey’s reputation as a marketplace where rare pre-war automobiles excel.

1937 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet - An early-production Type 57, chassis 57156, this cabriolet was originally delivered to Belgian industrialist Frederic Deflandre before being upgraded by the factory in 1936 and rebodied in 1938. After decades in long-term American ownership, it underwent a comprehensive, award-winning restoration by marque specialist Alan Taylor in 2013. Documented by Bugatti experts and shown at major concours events, it sold for $759,000 USD.

1908 Panhard et Levassor Type Q Racing - A rare and fearsome Brass Era competition machine powered by a 10.5-liter T-head four with double-chain drive, this Type Q is one of only two known surviving four-cylinder examples. Delivered new in Paris and later raced in Mexico, it retains remarkable authenticity, including its original staggered racing seats and period mechanicals. Freshly restored to its pre-1910 speed trials configuration and boasting Pebble Beach class-winning history, it sold for $605,000 USD.

1930 Cadillac V-16 Sport Phaeton by Fleetwood - One of just 85 Sport Phaetons built, this car is famed as the “European Tour” V-16, originally shipped overseas in 1930 for Cadillac’s promotional campaign across nine countries. Later rebodied by Saoutchik, it was eventually returned to its original Fleetwood configuration using the surviving firewall and cowl. Restored in the early 1990s and shown to acclaim, it has since been owned by respected collectors, including Dr. Joseph Murphy and John Groendyke. A recognized CCCA Full Classic with Premier status, it sold for $423,500 USD.

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About RM Sotheby’s - RM Sotheby’s is the world’s largest collector car auction house by total sales. With over 45 years of proven results in the collector car industry, RM’s vertically integrated range of services, from auctions (live, online, and Sealed) and private sales to estate planning and financial services, coupled with an expert team of Car Specialists and an international footprint, provide an unsurpassed level of service to the global collector car market. RM Sotheby’s is currently responsible for six of the top ten most valuable motor cars ever sold at auction. https://rmsothebys.com/

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