H&H Classic Auctions, the largest specialist auction house of historic motor cars in Europe, teams with LiveAuctioneers.com for Feb. 26-27 auction

Feb. 21, 2008

NEW YORK—H&H Classic Auctions, esteemed auctioneers of historic motor cars, has chosen LiveAuctioneers.com in association with eBay Live Auctions to host Internet bidding for its first sale of 2008, Feb. 26-27. The auction, to be held at the legendary Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire, England, includes a rare and varied selection of collectors’ cars, motorcycles, bicycles, registration plates and automobilia. Those who cannot attend the auction but would like to participate through the Internet can view the full catalog, place absentee bids prior to the sale and bid live as the sale is taking place at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

The star of the auction, a 1935 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 Pescara Spyder that competed in the Mille Miglia and was once owned by Benito Mussolini, will be auctioned on day two of the auction, Feb. 27.

The car was driven in the 1936 Mille Miglia by Ercole Boratto, an ex-Alfa Romeo test driver who was Mussolini’s chauffeur at the time. The car finished 13th overall and third in class. Mussolini retained the car until 1939. Since then, it has had only three owners, the latest of whom had it restored by Dino Cognolato to a standard high enough to achieve second in class in the 2005 Pebble Beach Concours and victory in the New York Concours meeting of the same year. Of great historical importance, the stunning dark-red two-seater carries an estimate of $1.2 million-$1.6 million.

Minis driven by the legendary racer Paddy Hopkirk have long been sought by collectors the world over, and H&H will be auctioning not one but two in the Cheltenham sale. The first, a 1964 Morris Mini Cooper S ‘CRX 90B’ was the prototype for the hydrolastic rally Minis and contested the 1964 RAC Rally in the hands of Hopkirk and Henry Liddon. It was then used by BMC stalwarts Don and Erle Morley on the 1965 Monte Carlo Rally. It remained with the BMC Competition Department until 1968, when it was purchased by Works co-driver Paul Easter. It subsequently passed through several hands before being fully restored and finishing second to Hopkirk’s AJB 44B on the RAC Golden 50 Rally of 1982. This prized lot carries an estimate of $80,000-$100,000. The other, a 1967 Morris Mini Cooper S ‘OBL 45F’ began and ended its Works career as a circuit racer (a response to the increasing domination on rally stages the world over of models such as the Porsche 911 and Renault Alpine 110). First driven by John Handley at Brands Hatch in 1969, it went on to contest the Tour de France that year in the hands of Paddy Hopkirk and Tony Nash, winning its class.

“We are delighted to offer a collection of this significance to not only our current clients but to a worldwide audience of Internet buyers yet to participate in an H&H auction,” said Damien Jones, senior specialist at H&H Classic Auctions. “Our partnership with LiveAuctioneers.com allows us to present our one-of-a-kind sales to a truly global audience.”

LiveAuctioneers.com is pleased to welcome H&H Classic Auctions to its roster of distinguished auction house clients. The complete, illustrated catalog for the Feb.26-27 sale is available to view online now at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.