Child of its time

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It’s big time hammer time at H&H auctioneers this week, with no less than 107 motorcycles on offer during today’s sale plus another 146 cars tomorrow, with a wider variety in vehicles than Heinz’ ever had in their sauces. From 1904 Peugeot Bebe to 2003 Ferrari Modena, with in between them a 1943 Sherman tank or 1973 Aston Martin ‘Works development car’. We particularly like the Ogle Sotheby Special – the first of three and a car long thought lost. The Aston Martin DBS V8 based car was built after a Canadian car importer, at the 1970 Montreal Motor Show, wondered why it were always the Italians who showed up with the spectacular prototypes. Tom Karen of Ogle Ltd. was able to offer help and came up with a rather flashy vehicle for the ‘72 show. Just two more Ogle Astons followed. Again, this is the first of the three, which hid in a shed for over 40 years.

Speaking about hiding in sheds: how about the Broadspeed-liveried ex-John Steed ‘New Avengers’ Jaguar? Yes: The BRG XJ12 Coupe as seen in the 1970s series with the wild and wide racer body kit. The car disappeared off the radar in the early 1990s, only to be found – once again in a damp English barn - recently with smashed windows and flat tyres. It’s a pity that Patrick MacNee died last June… Like the Ogle Aston, both car’s £10 - 20,000 seem rather low despite their bad condition. Oh - one more child of its time is the 1960 Supercharged Sprite that H&H will flog tomorrow. The little Frogeye may have lost its frogeyes but wears its reworked nose and flares with great late-1960s pride. It uses a Shorrock supercharged 1275cc engine and comes with a dash full of switches and gauges and period Les Leston wood-rimmed wheel. Gorgeous.

(Words Jeroen Booij, pictures H&H Auctions) 

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