Classic collections at Cheffins’ April sale

For almost 200 years auction house Cheffins has offered everything from fine jewellery to steam engines. But its sale on April 23 is of particular interest to us here at OBM for a number of rare and unusual motorcycles that will go under the hammer (not that we don’t appreciate a good steam engine too!).

At the heart of the motorcycles to be sold by Cheffins are two collections. The Iverley Collection was amassed during the 1960s and 70s by a Norton enthusiast and has remained in the family. As you might expect, some six of the 11 machines from the collection started life in Pa’s factory; those include two 16Hs, a 1950 500T trials model and a 19S which is being sold for the first time in 57 years. But also in the Iverley Collection is a 1927 Coventry Eagle project which comes with two JAP single-cylinder engines, frame, forks, tank, wheel and mudguards. There is no reserve on this lot so we will be interested to see how much it fetches.

For those inclined to three wheels, the Iverley Collection also includes a very rare 1923 Morgan-Darmont Sports, a result of a brief collaboration between Morgan and French engineer and entrepreneur Roger Darmont. Under licence from Morgan, the Sports was marketed in France after the First World War and is powered by a 1918 JAP water-cooled 980cc ‘War Product’ V-twin (although Darmont and his brother did also build their own engines) and has been on loan to the Morgan Motor Museum.

The second collection was assembled by the late Chris Chichester-Miles and is a wonderful eclectic selection of eight motorcycles, ranging from a 1991 Ducati 900SS to a 1949 Sunbeam S8, via a pristine 1978 Kawasaki KH350. But, as well as these two interesting collections, there are some 30 other motorcycles consigned to the sale, including some rare prewar British lightweights such as a 250cc Sunbeam Model 16 and a 350cc Levis Model A2. The sale will take place at Cheffins’ Machinery Saleground, Sutton, near Ely CB6 2QT. Go to www.cheffins. co.uk where you can find out more details and have a preview of all the lots.

The Chichester-Miles Collection is somewhat more modern, including a Ducati 900SS with just 20,000 miles on the clock.

The Iverley Collection which, as you can see on the right, also includes three flat tankers, a 1918 550cc BSA, a 1916 500cc Phelon & Moore and a 1910 225 Fabrique National.