A LABOR DAY TRADITION: AUCTIONS AMERICA'S FLAGSHIP AUBURN FALL COLLECTOR CAR WEEKEND ATTRACTS RECORD CROWDS, POSTS STRONG RESULTS

September 3, 2014 by Auctions America

• Auctions America's flagship Auburn Fall sale enjoys continued success with more than $25.9 million in sales

• A Labor Day Weekend tradition, event attracts record attendance with more than 81,500 enthusiasts descending on Indiana's historic Auburn Auction Park

• Top sale: 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ Dual Cowl Phaeton returns 'home' to the Classic Car Capital of America, realizing a strong $1,265,000

• Truly a community event, Auburn Fall raises $44,000 to benefit Honor Flight of Northeast Indiana

• Complete results available online at auctionsamerica.com

AUBURN, Indiana (September 3, 2014) – Once again demonstrating that the collector car community comes home to the Classic Car Capital of America for the Labor Day weekend, Auctions America's flagship Auburn Fall sale was a resounding success, drawing record crowds and posting strong sales. Held August 27-31, during the famous ACD Festival, the Labor Day weekend tradition drew a record 81,500 enthusiasts to the Auburn Auction Park to witness nearly 1,100 quality collector cars and select memorabilia cross the auction block. Total sales exceeded $25.9 million*, with bidders representing 15 countries from around the world and 43 states across the U.S. Illustrating the event's continued growth and Auctions America's effective marketing reach, more than one third of bidders represented first time clientele.

Topping the sales list, which boasted everything from turn-of-the-century Brass Era motor cars to modern European collectibles, was a 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ Dual Cowl Phaeton by LaGrande. One of only 36 examples built and offered from 35 years of single-family ownership, the classic sold before a packed house during Saturday's sale session for a strong $1,265,000. Additional highlights included a 1935 Auburn 851 Supercharged Speedster, another perfect match for the ACD Festival weekend, for a respectable $423,500, along with a 2005 Ford GT which brought $330,000, far exceeding pre-sale expectations.

'Fantastic weather combined with a diverse lineup of quality cars and an exciting range of automotive-themed activities made for another exceptional Auburn Fall,' says Donnie Gould, president of Auctions America. 'We've received extremely positive feedback on this year's event, with many attendees declaring it the best yet. Thanks to our tens of thousands of visitors, trusting clients, dedicated staff and the support of local community volunteers, Auctions America is able to grow the Auburn Fall experience year after year.'

Auctions America Auburn Fall – Top Five Sales

Lot 5145 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ Dual Cowl Phaeton by LaGrande $1,265,000

Lot 7100 1935 Auburn 851 Supercharged Speedster $423,500

Lot 4150 2006 Ford GT Heritage Edition $360,000

Lot 5127 2005 Ford GT $330,000

Lot 5140 1934 Packard Twelve Convertible Victoria $308,000

Beyond the top-seller's list, one of the many highlights and most anticipated lots of the multi-day sale was a 1964 Chevrolet Impala Convertible offered by founder of Auburn-based Rathburn Tool & Manufacturing and Vietnam veteran, Jerry Rathburn. Realizing a strong $28,600 to applause from the crowd, all proceeds from the vehicle's sale, combined with donations collected over the weekend, will benefit the Honor Flight of Northeast Indiana, a nonprofit organization created solely to honor America's veterans for all their sacrifices by flying them to Washington, DC to reflect at their memorials. In total, the fundraising initiative generated more than $44,000 for the local Honor Flight chapter.

In addition to the auction, the weekend also featured a car corral and swap meet. The car corral presented more than 500 vehicles, with a few cars changing hands before they could reach their designated space, while the swap meet also proved popular, with vendors travelling from as far away as California to be part of the event and many selling out before the end of the Saturday sale session.

Adding to the family fun, monster truck rides, ATV and dirt bike shows, and helicopter tours of the Auction Park were enjoyed throughout the weekend, while hundreds lined up to meet Frank Fritz of 'American Pickers', Courtney Hansen of 'PowerNation', and Rick and Kelly Dale of 'American Restoration'. New this year, a visit from the 2014 Dodge Power Rallye Tour saw over 1,600 performance test drives conducted for Auburn Fall visitors. The roster of events was topped off by the debut appearance of Wendell, Auctions America's very own life-size mechanical elephant. Built in England in 1951, Wendell is one of only two known surviving examples, weighing in at a massive 1,400 pounds. Powered by its original Ford four-cylinder water-cooled engine, the recently restored creature wowed crowds both at the Auburn Auction Park and on the streets of downtown Auburn, during the ACD Festival's Downtown Cruise-In.

Auctions America continues its record 2014 calendar with the Sam Pack Collection, November 14-15 in Dallas, Texas. Presented in association with RM Auctions, the single-vendor sale will lift the gavel on more than 130 quality collector cars without reserve. From a terrific series of icons from the fifties and sixties, through to a remarkable collection of Detroit muscle, and an assortment of concepts, street rods, customs and modern collectibles, the sale features almost every decade and genre of automotive production.

For full results from Auctions America's 2014 Auburn Fall Collector Car Weekend as well as information on upcoming events, please visit auctionsamerica.com.
*Official results are listed in USD and include a 10 percent buyer's premium for all automobiles and 15 percent for memorabilia and all other lots.

Photo captions: All Courtesy of Auctions America
Top: A bird's eye view of the 235-acre historic Auburn Auction Park, packed with activity during the 2014 Auburn Fall Collector Car Weekend
Second: Star of the sale, the top-selling 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ Dual Cowl Phaeton realized a strong $1,265,000 before a packed auction arena
Third: Donnie Gould, president of Auctions America, atop the company's very own life-size mechanical elephant 'Wendell', who made several appearances throughout the weekend

Photo credit: Auctions America
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