Duesenberg SJ tops RM’s Amelia Island sale at $4.51 million

Photos by Darin Schnabel, courtesy RM Auctions

Amelia Island always draws a strong, well-heeled crowd of collectors, and RM’s auction at the concours bore that out again for 2013. Its 15th annual sale at the Florida concours grossed more than $26.8 million on 88 lots, with a 92-percent sell-through rate.

The top sale on the day was a 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ Walker-LaGrande Convertible Coupe, one of only three produced and the only supercharged example; it sold for $4.51 million, the highest sale of any car on the weekend. The second highest sale at RM was a 1933 Stutz DV32 Convertible Victoria, which doubled its pre-sale estimate to hammer at $1,512,500, a new record for a Stutz sold at auction.

Gord Duff, an RM Car Specialist, said: “Our Amelia Island auction is always a highlight of our global calendar, and this year’s sale was another incredible success for RM. The results achieved for the Duesenberg and the Stutz in particular illustrate that great cars are continuing to attract great prices at auction.”

As we saw at Gooding, Ferraris continue to dominate the high-end market; a 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB sold for $1,375,000, while a 1952 Ferrari 225 Sport Berlinetta “Tuboscocca” came in at $1,237,500.

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We were somewhat startled by the selling price of a 1958 Fiat 600 Jolly: a jaw-dropping $110,000, the same as a 1953 Allard K3 roadster. Then again, if you really need classic transportation to and from your yacht the next time you dock in Monte Carlo, you could do worse.

The Marmon prototype we profiled leading up to the auction went for $407,000—not bad for a completely one-of-a-kind car.

The top 10 sales from RM show the consistent allure of gorgeous, rare classics and powerful sports cars:

1. 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ Convertible Coupe: $4,510,000 2. 1933 Stutz DV32 Convertible Victoria: $1,512,500 3. 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB: $1,375,000 4. 1952 Ferrari 225 Sport Berlinetta “Tuboscocca”: $1,237,500 5. 1911 Lozier Model 51 Seven-Passenger Touring: $1,100,000 6. 1930 Cord L-29 Sport Cabriolet: $990,000 7. 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra: $836,000 8. 1931 Duesenberg Model J Tourer: $825,000 9. 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster: $792,000 10. 1930 Stutz SV16 Monte Carlo: $550,000

It’s always interesting to see the “bottom” results from an auction, particularly one that deals in such immaculate vehicles as the RM Amelia Island sale. You know it’s a heck of an auction when one of the least-expensive cars sold is a 1936 Cord 810 going for $77,000.

• 1928 Harley-Davidson JD: $34,100
• 1912 Ford Model T Roadster: $35,750
• 1956 Ford Thunderbird: $38,500
• 1927 Lincoln Model L Seven-Passenger Berline: $46,200
• 1960 Lloyd LS600 Kombi Van “Pan American World Airways Transporter”: $49,500
• 1949 Ford V-8 Custom Station Wagon: $49,500
• 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Sport Coupe: $57,750
• 1935 Cadillac Series 30 Five-Passenger Town Sedan: $60,500
• 1949 Ford “The Foose Ford” Custom Coupe: $77,000
• 1936 Cord 810 Westchester: $77,000
• 1905 Tribelhorn Electric Brougham: $77,000

For more information and full results, visit rmauctions.com.