Ian Cummins Automotive Memorabilia now online at Shannons
• Huge collection of rare and hand-built model cars
• 55 steering wheels from sporting cars of all eras
• Wide range of memorabilia covering cars, boats and planes
Nearly 400 special automotive memorabilia items from the lifetime collection of noted Jaguar enthusiast and international authority Ian Cummins, are now being offered by Shannons in a unique Timed Online auction.
The sale, which opened on November 30 and closes at 5pm (Australian Eastern Daylight Time) on December 14, covers items that were not included in Shannons mammoth four-hour November 27 Melbourne Summer Auction because of the sheer volume of lots from the Ian Cummins Collection.
While everything automotive from plaques and posters to carburettors, badges, radiator grilles and bonnet mascots are represented, the heroes of the auction are the many model cars that Cummins collected during his lifelong fascination with rare and sporting vehicles.
Cummins was a true connoisseur of model cars of all scales, opening Australia’s first shop dedicated to them – Model Cars Australia – in Kent Street, Sydney in the 1970s and assembling a vast collection of rare and hand-built models before selling the shop in 1986 to become the curator of the Donnington Motor Museum in England.
Topping the on-line lots for potential selling price and exclusivity is a professionally-crafted child’s electric car based on a scaled-down Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix car that is expected to attract international interest in the $20,000 - $30,000 range.
Most-desirable for Jaguar enthusiasts is an exquisite hand-built 1955 Jaguar D-Type long nose 1:12 scale model by New Zealand’s G. Climo, which is also expected to sell in the same price range.
Alternatively, Jaguar enthusiast could acquire one of several sets of rare Dunlop alloy road wheels from full-size racing D-Types that are expected to sell in the $12,000-$16,000 range for a set of four.
Other very desirable and collectible models include a hand-built 1935 Alfa Romeo P3 Grand Prix car ($12,000-$16,000), a hand-built 1914 GP Vauxhall (guiding range $8,000 - $12,000) and a 55cm-long Toschi die-cast Ferrari 500 Clockwork Grand Prix car ($2,000 - $3,000).
At the more affordable end of the price scale, on-line bidders potentially could acquire a trio of 1:43 scale Jaguar D-type and C-type models offered with ‘no reserve’ for as little as $80-$120.
Steering Wheel collectors are well-served in the online auction, with 55 examples on offer, coming off a wide range of sporting vehicles over the past century.
Amongst the rare steering wheels in the collection is an Aston Martin DB 3-spoke wood rim with boss that is being offered with ‘no reserve’ and is expected to sell for $1,500 - $2,000 and a 15.75-inch diameter Nardi steering wheel that Cummins acquired from fellow-Sydney enthusiast Laurie O’Neill’s after it had come off his Ferrari 212 ($4,000-$8,000).
Rare Weber carburettors are amongst the automotive items in the sale, typified by the sandcast Weber 40DCO3 No2 side-draught examples once fitted to an Alta 4- cylinder engine ($3,000 - $5,000), while a set of three Weber 36DCL3 downdraft carburettors with intake manifolds and air cleaners from a late 1950s Ferrari 250 are expected to bring $5,000-$8,000.
For more information on the auction contact the Melbourne Auction Team on (03) 8588 0809 or email auctions@shannons.com.au.
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