HVA is all fired up...
...over its spares, automobilia and unusual lots
How did your last sale do, and how do you see the next one going?
Our last sale saw some great results, including £20,500 for a Riley Sprite special and £1000 for a Bond Minicar project. Austin Sevens always do well, whether immaculate or projects. In our 8 June sale we have another Riley special and two Ford Model T projects, along with a 1990 Porsche 911.
Why does HVA have a reputation for automobilia and parts?
We continue to unearth parts and automobilia thanks to our contacts and our keeness to offer these items. Many classic car auctioneers don’t want to deal with this side of the business, but it has a strong following. Signs, books and parts are always in demand and our approachability has helped us. This is important, because everyone working at HVA is very much involved with old cars and motorcycles. At the end of the day, we’re enthusiasts who enjoy dealing with other enthusiasts.
What’s the most interesting car you’ve offered?
A lot of the cars we offer have very interesting history files. For example, in the 8 June auction, there’s a 1928 Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 which was dismantled in New York in the 1950s – the chassis was destroyed but all of the major mechanical components were kept and stored in America until recently and are now up for sale. We also have an Austin 20 fire engine that started life as one of three limousines: one of them was destroyed in a crash, another was turned into a breakdown truck and the third is in our sale.
In an ideal world, how many sales would you run a year?
We’d probably want to cap it at no more than four sales per year because the large amount of automobilia we offer – usually around 1000 lots per sale – involves a great deal of cataloguing work.
‘Ultimately, we’re enthusiasts who enjoy dealing with other enthusiasts’’
Looking ahead, do you have dates for your other sales this year?
Our 8 June auction has a good stock of early Morris and MG parts. The next sale will be held in September at Ledbury Rugby Club; it has a heavy Austin influence and many fabulous entries have already been consigned.