People accuse auction houses of all kinds of shenanigans, and I’ve had questions myself in the past. One of the most mystifying events is when no-reserve cars sometimes don’t sell, even when we know there’s bidding. I spotted one of those at Dave Rupp’s early January Ft. Lauderdale auction, where this 1957 Mercury Montclair convertible was listed with no reserve, but had no selling price listed. Dave’s explanation, however, was anything but suspicious: a simple case of seller’s remorse.
The consignor had acquired it from the Don Davis collection, although I don’t know when. However, that alone is broadly a declaration of quality – Don Davis cars are almost uniformly good. From the auction description:
One show repaint in “Classic White” per data plate. New 100 percent authentic interior to original 1957 specifications, NOS trunk kit. Original Ford Motor Company cruiser skirts (not aftermarket). Optional 368-cu.in. Turnpike Cruiser engine. Exceptional chrome.
It was the consignor’s dream car, but he was 84 years old and his health was declining rapidly and he could no longer drive it, thus consigning it to the Rupp auction.
But according to Dave, a funny thing happened in the week leading up to the sale – the consignor’s health improved. Still, the car stayed in the auction and came up to the block, where it was bid to $85,000, which I’d consider appropriate for the car in the condition Dave described. But at the end, the consignor, on the block with Dave, couldn’t let it go. “He said he had to drive it one more time,” said Dave, and yanked it from the sale.
According to Dave, he did indeed drive it again, and the car was spotted cruising all around Ft. Lauderdale in the following days. Now, I’m not saying that there aren’t people in the audience engaged in funny business at auctions, but in this case, it was just love.
