1971 Chevy Impala drove away with top lot honors at EstateofMind

 

MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. – A 1971 Chevrolet Impala convertible that had been sitting, undriven, in a heated garage for 30 years sped off to a new owner for $31,250, and a 1972 Chevrolet Malibu earned $6,300 despite having some rust issues during a two-session estate auction conducted on May 21 by EstateOfMind Auctions.

The Impala was an estate vehicle, having been purchased by the original owner’s son for his mother in 1970. Since 1992 it had been stored in the family’s basement garage. The car, in fact, was always garaged, and showed just 33,224 miles on the odometer when it was put up for bid. The battery was new, the convertible top worked perfectly and the engine turned over freely.

The Malibu was a tale of two Chevys. While the car ran well and boasted many new parts, including tires, brakes, Flowmaster exhaust and matching numbers on its 350 cubic inch engine, it had some shoddy bodywork done in the 1990s that the new owner will likely need to address. That, combined with the rust, prevented the vehicle from bringing more. It showed 94,132 miles on its odometer.

Session 1 of the auction was dedicated to militaria and firearms. Session 2, held immediately following, consisted of items from Tuxedo Park and Hamptonburgh, New York; Oceanside, Long Island; and Warwick, New York. More than 650 lots came up for bid in Session 2, encompassing multiple categories. In total, the auction grossed $286,575 and enjoyed a 98.4 percent sell-through rate.

Other June 21 sale highlights include a pair of 19th- or 20th-century Italian Carrara marble angels, which finished at $6,250; a 19th-century fine deep blue ground signed Sarouk rug, consigned from a Tuxedo Park estate, realized $5,250; and a pair of mid-century Modern leather armchairs by Charles Pollack for Knoll brought $2,000.

A 1945 painting of a World War II U.S. military float plane, one of only 10 built, depicted against a cloudy backdrop and signed by artist Eric Sloane (American, 1905-1985), changed hands for $4,625. Also, a circa-1940-1950 Isamu Noguchi (American, 1904-1988) cherry and fiber table lamp went to a determined bidder for $2,125.

Estate jewelry was plentiful and featured a circa-1980 18K gold, stone, shell and diamond leopard brooch, signed by Asch Grossbardt, which made $2,000; and a circa-1959-1960 Bulova gold-plated tank wristwatch sold for $1,750.

Unquestionably the surprise lot of the day was an AMPEX 351-2 reel-to-reel tape transport with amplifiers. Arriving on the auction block with a $400-$600 estimate, it ended up earning $3,250.

To inquire about consigning an item, an estate or a collection, call EstateOfMind at 845-386-4403 or email estateofmind2009@yahoo.com. To learn more about EstateOfMind, please visit www.EstateOfMind.biz.

 

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