Brough ‘kit’ sets record

BONHAMS STAFFORD SALE OCT 13-14 ‘Self-assembly’ Brough Superior hits a new high of £264,500

With Bonhams’ October Stafford sale a two-day affair this year, it came as no surprise that another auction record tumbled this autumn. And, once again, it was a Brough Superior that set tongues wagging at the end of the sale. A 1925 ex-cf Edwards SS100 sand racer project became the most expensive Brough ever to be sold at auction in dismantled form. It sold to a UK buyer in the saleroom for a staggering £264,500 – more than double its low estimate of £120,000.

Admittedly, though, the bike was something special. One of just 12 surviving examples of the original SS100 model produced for the 1925 model year, the bike came with extensive period racing history and had been in single family ownership for over 65 years prior to being offered for sale. The matching-numbers project is believed to be the first pre-alpine Grand Sport-type Brough Superior SS100 ever to be offered at auction.

Another star performer at the sale was a bike that will never see the road again – or even run. The 1952 factory prepared ‘cutaway’ AJS Model 20 Springtwin displayed on the AJS stand at the Earls Court show in 1962 made an amazing £68,750.

There was something special for fans of Japanese classics, too, as an ‘as new’ 1989 Honda RC30 offered by a Danish collector, sold for £47,150. Never run, the bike has been in a series of private collections since new. What chance of finding another RC30 in this condition?

The sale totalled £3,479,800, the second highest grossing Stafford sale ever, with 92% of entries sold.

ABOVE: CF Edwards on the SS100 sand racer back when it was in one piece LEFT: As sold at Stafford ABOVE: Honda RC30 in ‘as new’ condition sold for £47,150 at Stafford