Bonhams is headlining its sale with bikes from the collection of noted Vincent specialist Herb Harris, including the 1946 Vincent “1X” Rapide B prototype shown here. Photo courtesy Mecum Auctions.
Mecum Auctions returns to Las Vegas Jan. 8-10, 2015, hosting the MidAmerica 24th Annual Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction. Also returning is Bonhams, holding its 5th Annual Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction for one day only on Jan. 8.
Mecum is a relative newcomer to the annual Vegas vintage motorcycle auctions, hosting the 2014 Vegas sale following its acquisition of MidAmerica Auctions in December 2013. That acquisition gave Mecum immediate dominance over the Vegas auctions, which were established by MidAmerica back in 1992 and have grown steadily since. MidAmerica founder Ron Christensen was retained as president of Mecum’s motorcycle division and once again heads up Mecum’s Vegas efforts.
The 2014 auctions were good for both auction houses, with Mecum reporting total sales of just more than $7 million — up from $6 million in 2013 — and Bonhams reporting sales of $3.3 million, a healthy jump from the $2.6 million in sales reported in 2013. The upward sales trend witnessed over the past few years augers well for 2015, with auction watchers predicting the largest event ever in terms of total dollars.
To grab those dollars, both houses are coming loaded for bear. Mecum says it will have 750 bikes to sell (up from 600 in 2014), with machines from eight different collections on offer including European, British and American bikes. Machines to be offered include a 1956 Douglas Dragonfly from the Moreira collection, a 1955 Norton ES2 from the Shane Van Pelt collection, a 1952 Vincent Comet from the Buddy Stubbs Collection, plus a host of vintage race bikes from the Gary Davis collection and a 1929 Cleveland Tornado Four from Sinless Cycles.
Bonhams is headlining its sale with bikes from the collection of noted Vincent specialist Herb Harris, including the 1946 Vincent “1X” Rapide B prototype (shown above), the 1954 Vincent Black Prince prototype, a restored Vincent Rapide Series C with matching Blacknell Bullet sidecar, and a 1962 Matchless G50 CSR Silver Eagle with a spare engine. Other notables include a 1912 Indian racer, a 1948 Indian Chief and Peter Fonda’s 2006 MV Agusta F4-1000R.
The Bonhams auction runs all day Thursday, Jan. 8, starting at 10 a.m. at Bally’s Hotel & Casino while the Mecum auction kicks off Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m. at South Point Casino & Exhibit Hall, returning Friday and Saturday.
