Oily rags and Edwardians: the stars of the Bonhams Beaulieu Autojumble sale

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The Bonhams auction at the Beaulieu Autojumble is always one of the best on the calendar. We expect to see a fine array of Edwardian,vintage and P.V.T. lots, and this year is no exception; indeed, with no fewer than six Edwardians, the sale might be even better than anticipated. It's a smattering of lots from the vintage period (or thereabouts), though, which are headlining the sale. Starting with the ex-Oliver Heal 1926 Sunbeam Three-Litre Super Sports tourer (£130,000-160,000) and 1931 Aston Martin 1½-Litre International tourer (£80,000-100,000). Anyone who saw these cars at Prescott will vouch for their desirability, both being presented in the most charming Oily Rag condition. Those with more of a taste for the grandiose may prefer the 1929 Packard Series 645 Deluxe Eight Sport Phaeton by Dietrich (£100,000-140,000) or the Indian-bodied 1924 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost saloon by Steuart & Co. of Calcutta (£100,000-150,000). The Packard was restored in America in the late 1980s and proceeded to garner awards from various prestigious concours. Over here, it would make the perfect car for the Rally of the Giants.

Turning towards the wonderful spread of Edwardians, we find ourselves spoilt for choice between a 1907 Wolseley-Siddeley Type B 30hp Roi-des-Belges (£60,000-70,000), 1908 Vulcan 20hp Roi-des-Belges (£60,000-80,000), 1911 Daimler Model TG15 tourer (£40,000-60,000), 1912 Delahaye Type 43 landaulet (£40,000-50,000), 1912 Overland Model 59 tourer (£15,000-20,000) and c.1914 Sunbeam 12/16hp special (£18,000-24,000, in need of completion). The Wolseley in particular is a charming, lightly-patinated specimen which has recently been driven after a period of dry storage, but which will require further recommissioning. The Delahaye was imported from France in 1991, restored in 1992 and has been stored since 2000, so now requires recommissioning.

If provenance is what you're after, once again there's a lot to choose from, starting with a Bentley 4¼-Litre tourer (£70,000-90,000). Originally an H. J. Mulliner saloon, it was rebodied in 1960 and later owned by no less than Alan Clark. The 1932 Lagonda Two-Litre Low Chassis Continental tourer (£60,000-80,000) is significant for quite a different reason—it was the very first production Continental built and retains ownership history from new, starting with Yorkshire mill owner H. Evan Jones. Meanwhile, there's a 1929 Stutz Type M Vertical Eight fabric saloon by Lancefield (£44,000-48,000) which was built for display on the Stutz stand at Olympia in 1929. Restored c.1990, it has mellowed very appealingly. One of the finest cars for the owner-driver must be the 1930 Sunbeam Twenty all-weather tourer by Charlesworth (£30,000-40,000). Its inclusion is rather a sad one, for it comes from the estate of the late Oliver Heal, of the Tottenham Court Road furniture showroom. The Sunbeam was purchased new by his grandfather Sir Ambrose and was greatly enjoyed by Oliver, who in later life became a respected Sunbeam historian.

There will be plenty for tighter budgets, too. The 1926 Standard 11.4hp V3 Coventry tourer and 1926 Armstrong Siddeley 14hp tourer are both being offered with estimates of £10,000-15,000. Furthermore, for a little bit more money, there's a handful of the restoration projects with which the Beaulieu sale has always been associated. The 1937 Autovia limousine (£16,000-25,000) is not only an extremely rare survivor of Riley's upmarket companion marque, which relied on sophisticated triple-camshaft V8s, it is also the earliest survivor of the 44 Autovias produced. Family-owned but out of use since 1962, it will require full restoration. The 1934 Lagonda M45 pillarless saloon (£30,000-50,000) has been family-owned for the last 50 years but rather better cared-for. Last used in 2005 or 2006, it appears highly original with characterfully scruffy paint, and a sympathetic oily-rag restoration looks as if it should be perfectly feasible. Finally, a 1932 MG J2 (£8000-10,000), family-owned since the 1960s and powered by an 1172cc sidevalve Ford engine, but with a pre-war Morris Minor ohc engine included, looks like another worthwhile project.

Other pre-war lots going under the hammer include:

• 1919 Thornycroft J-type lorry (£30,000-35,000)
• 1920 Buick K-45 tourer (£19,000-23,000)
• 1922 Lorraine-Dietrich B3-6 tourer (£25,000-35,000)
• 1923 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost tourer (£110,000-140,000)
• 1931 Auburn 8-98 Sturtevant aero-engined special (£100,000-130,000)
• 1931 Sunbeam 20hp drophead coupé (£40,000-50,000)
• 1934 Lagonda M35R tourer (£65,000-75,000)
• 1935 Talbot 75 sports saloon (£25,000-30,000)
• 1936 Frazer Nash-BMW 315 saloon (£20,000-30,000)
• 1937 Lancia Aprilia (£15,000-20,000)
• 1937 Singer Nine Le Mans two-seater (£30,000-40,000).

The Bonhams Beaulieu Autojumble sale takes place on September 13-14th in Beaulieu, Hampshire. The full catalogue can be viewed here.

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