2018 RM Sotheby's Scottsdale Auction Picks

Our friends at RM Sotheby's have a number of pre-war cars on offer, including a Tucker, but only one brass-era car.  This 1907 Ford Model K Roadster is said to have been through only two families' ownership.

1907 Ford Model K - photo credit: RM Sotheby's Auctions

The fact that Henry Ford hated the Model K is well known, never the less, Ford was an early American producer of the six-cylinder engine. This car, chassis K952, is noted as being restored in the late 1950's - I guess that explains the awful color it wears today. The catalog states that there are believed to be just ten or so surviving Model K roadsters. I can't remember seeing more than three in my travels. It's a rare and interesting car that deserves to be restored. 

2018 Gooding & Co Scottdale Auction Picks

Of the few early cars available at action this January in Scottsdale, Godding and Company have but one brass-era offering. This 1903 Oldsmobile Model R Runabout would have been the best selling car in America at the time of its manufacture. 

1903 Curve Dash Oldsmobile - photo credit: Gooding & Co Auctions

The Olds Motor Works introduced the "Oldsmobile" in 1901. Now known as the Curved-Dash Olds, the company first used the term "Oldsmobile" as a model name before reorganizing the company under the Oldsmobile name around 1904.

The company's fortunes were put in question in 1901 when their Detroit factory burned - taking their inventory of cars with it. However, after re-establishing their Detroit and Lansing facilities, the Olds Motor Works - lead by the Oldsmobile - would become the largest American producer of automobiles within a year. 

The way this car can be dated is explained by The Horseless Age of January 21, 1903 which notes, "The Olds Motor Works shows one of their 1903 Oldsmobile runabouts, which differs little from their last year's model, except that is has a slightly longer wheelbase and wood wheels instead of wire wheels." 

1922 Bugatti Type 29/30 - photo credit: Gooding & Co Auctions

Gooding is also featuring a couple important Bugatti's and this one is of particular interest. This 1922 Bugatti Type 29/30 is said to be one of 16 eight-cylinder cars produced - the first eight-cylinder cars manufactured by the firm. This car, chassis 4008, is noted as being one of two from this series to survive - both the first and the oldest surviving eight-cylinder Bugatti. As with many cars of this nature, the engine and coachwork are not original to the chassis, however, it has been faithfully restored to the original configuration. 

These early Bugatti's are quite robust for their age and I'll be interested to see the car in person.

2018 Bonhams Scottsdale Auction Picks

Pre-war cars are hard to find at auction these days. In looking forward to the 2018 Scottsdale auctions in January, our friends at Bonhams have a handful of pre-war cars on offer including the two brass-era cars seen here.

1913 Regal Underslung Model N - photo credit: Bonhams Auctions

This 1913 Regal Underslung Roadster (Model N) is said to have been discovered in 1938 and owned for more than 60 years by Bud Catlett, the former curator of the Harrah Automobile Collection. Considering that there are not many Regal Underslung's surviving, four different cars have been listed for sale over the past year or so. The Regal Car Company was founded in Detriot in 1907 and would have reasonable success right up to WWI when material shortages forced its closure in 1918.

1910 Knox Type O - photo credit: Bonhams Auctions

This 1910 Knox Type O five-passenger touring benefits from an extensive restoration completed in 2011. Little information on the history of this car is mentioned in the catalog description. The Knox Automobile Company was founded in Springfield, MA in 1900 with the introduction of an air-cooled three-wheeled car. Within a few years, they were building more conventional four-wheeled cars and in 1908 introduced their first water-cooled four-cylinder engine. Knoxes are rare and valued cars from the dawn of motoring and this car's pre-sale estimate reflects it's appeal.