Osenat presents Arts and Cars: a fascinating sale for collectors

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Often when Osenat stages a motor car sale, there are many lots consigned for which we would love to make room in our garage. Its next sale, however, is not just one for the garage; it contains a wealth of beautiful automobilia which we would be only too glad to permit to take over our hallways, studies, drawing rooms, libraries, billiard rooms and bedrooms. Taking place in Paris on April 28th and focussing on those wonderfully covetable little objects of memorabilia which bridge the gap between motoring and art, what enthusiast wouldn't find something to take home with them?

In addition to the automobilia, there are a few full-size cars which all also extremely desirable. One that we would really like to own is the c.1930 Chevalier 1100 Bol d'Or for €120,000-150,000, which some readers may remember was one of our highlights from the Montlhéry stand at Rétromobile. A one-off special built by Paul Chevalier, who had set his heart on winning the Bol d'Or, a grand prix for voitures legères, it was remarkable for its time in featuring independent suspension and front-wheel drive, along with a more conventional 1100cc Ruby engine. The car was raced extensively throughout the 1930s, and although its Bol d'Or attempts were often plagued by mechanical troubles, when it was on song it was not unheard of for it to be leading Bugattis.

Another unique, not to mention very attractive, creation is the c.1928 Lafont Spéciale, estimated at €60,000-80,000. Its early provenance is somewhat murky, but it is understood to have been built in period by Émile Lafont, an engineer and driver for GAR. Photographs confirm its existence by the 1950s, but shortly afterward it was left in a field and abandoned to nature. Recovered in the 1970s and restored, it's now a beautiful sight and would make a wonderfully unusual addition to garage of any cyclecar enthusiast.

If you'd rather something more refined, however, what could be better than the 1936 Lancia Belna coupé by Paul Née, probably a unique creation, for just €20,000-25,000? Somewhat reminiscent of a baby Type 57, it was built for M. Alexandre Lecamus and remained in his family until the 1970s. Benefitting today from a high-quality restoration, it represents an ideal opportunity to enter the world of 1930s elegance for a not unreasonable sum.

On the automobilia front, there's everything from an original Lalique Victoire to assorted historic documents pertaining to Bugatti, which we're sure lots of Bugattistes would love to add to their archive. Anyone who's driven on a winter night rally will appreciate the value of the elegant Harrods otter-fur gloves for a very reasonable €100-200, and then there are various posters which would look wonderful in any hallway or sitting room. Our personal favourite is the 1937 poster for the 31st Grand Prix de l'ACF at Montlhéry, which so brilliantly captures the beauty of motion. It could be yours for €7000-9000, but you might be up against us...

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