Bonhams and the Extraordinary Cars of the Reno Casino

It is always a shame when a museum decides to sell off its collection. I'll admit I've never visited the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada, but its aura stretches back more than half a century. Because what went under the Bonhams hammer on June 13th is, in reality, nothing more than a small portion of the Harrah's collection, founded by casino magnate Bill Harrah. Until the 1980s it was probably the largest collection of vintage automobiles in the world. Then came the sales: one need only recall the landmark 1985 auction where more than 1,400 cars from the collection crossed the block — including, just to give you an idea, a Bugatti Type 41 Royale. That sale was a genuine turning point; from that moment on, everyone understood that vintage cars were something far greater than a hobby.

Coming to the present day, there were 120 cars on offer, all without reserve and, naturally, all sold. Pre-auction estimates projected $4,767,500 in total sales, but it turned out to be a very good day: the hammer total closed at $5,253,880, with an average price of $43,782.