Cheffins Cambridge Vintage Sale at Sutton on Saturday (22nd April), saw a record sale total of over £2m, making it the largest collective vintage sale in Europe.
Showcasing a number of the world’s most unusual classic and vintage tractors, motorcycles and steam engines available to purchase at auction, a number of record prices were achieved across various lots.
With over 4,000 people in attendance, buyers came from across the UK and abroad, including from Germany, USA, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and the Sudan.
April’s sale saw one of the highest consignments of vintage and classic tractors ever recorded in terms of value and quality and this ignited the market with stellar sales across the board, achieving over £1.135m in total over 260 lots.
The first four tractors alone achieved a hammer price of £190,500 within the starting ten minutes. A 1963 Matbro Mastiff was bought for £86,100, which smashed its guide price of £40,000, making it a UK record price at auction for a vintage tractor.
The sale included an impressive collection of steam engines for sale, with the most important example being a 1918 pair of John Fowler Ploughing Engines known as ‘Horsa and Hengist’ which were sold to a collector for a total for £147,000.
'Excitement and buzz'
Bill King, Chairman, Cheffins comments: “It is impossible to describe the excitement and buzz of the day at this truly exceptional sale.
“We were honoured to have sold some of the world’s rarest and highest value classic tractors, steam engines and motorcycles and our total sales result of £2m makes this easily the largest collective auction of items of this type in Europe.
“We saw hordes of buyers from all over the world with some travelling from as far away as New Zealand and Australia to see these machines being sold. The prices achieved were second-to-none and this really goes to show how vintage machinery continues to be one of the most popular alternative investment types in the UK.
“In spite of economic turmoil with an inbound General Election and the looming triggering of Article 50, people are still willing to part with some serious money for these desirable items. Rarity was the order of the day, with the least common models smashing UK records for prices paid.”
