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Collectors' items

Auctions of collectors' items slake a thirst for all kinds of fancies, from scent bottles, musical instruments, photo and film cameras and television sets to pens, pen holders and ink wells.
In these auctions of collectors' items, pipes, cigarette lighters, cigar boxes, snuff boxes and tobacco jars are highly sought-after objects.
"The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it", said Oscar Wilde. Smokers' kits always fire up the bidding. Collectors of enamelled plaques will be delighted. Philatelists know these sales as an excellent stamping ground for rare collectors' specimens, and taxidermy enthusiasts can ferret out stuffed animals. The red carpet of the Hôtel Drouot provides a festival of canes (with systems or pommels) and an elegant parade of automobiles, including cars and horse-drawn vehicles, not to mention planes, boats and motorcycles !
Auctions of collectors' items also encompass curiosities: those "new, rare, singular things" according to the littré dictionary – which include scientifica, or scientific instruments.
With drouot, curiosity can be a positive virtue!

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Porsche 356 C Carrera 22000 GS 1963 - Spanish registration title FFVE Certificate FIVA Card Inaugurated at the 1 9 5 5 Frankfurt Motor Show with the 1500 GS, the very exclusive 356 Carrera series ended in 1963 with the appearance of the 356 C Carrera 2 / 2000 GS, equipped with the 130 hp 1,966cc 4-cam dual ignition engine derived from that of the 550 Spyder; this final 356 Carrera, the fastest “civilian” 356 ever produced, was also one of the rarest, with only 126 examples built. The car illustrated on these pages, one of the last in this small series, was delivered new to Porsche Autohaus Kahrmann in Fulda, Germany for export to the USA on 12 August 1963; the car, delivered new in the very elegant colour of Ruby Red 6402 with its extremely rare optional sunroof, is still fitted with its original engine, gearbox and carburettors. There are now six owners between California, New York and Europe, the current one having acquired it in 2009 at the Techno Classica Essen show from specialist Ande Votteler; we are in possession of the vehicle’s history, all arranged chronologically in a large file that will be given to the purchaser: each owner is listed, along with a number of letters, period documents (including the original user’s manual), press articles and, of course, service invoices dating back to 1992, with the added bonus of an expert report by the very serious and renowned Klaus Kukuk. According to the documents in our possession, the car has clocked up 192,000 km since new! Its mileage counter was replaced on 28 February 1992 shortly after its arrival in Europe and now shows 40,000 km, corroborating a report detailing each of its servicing since 31 May 1989; it is important to point out that the car has been serviced annually by one of the leading Porsche specialists in Spain since its purchase in 2009 by the current owner. During our test drive, we were impressed by the car’s impeccable handling, roadholding, precise steering and comfort, while on the mechanical side, the perfect tuning of the engine and the precision of the gearbox ensure performance that is still up to date and impressive for its time; the rarity of the 356 Carrera, its performance and its undeniable sporting success make it one of the most sought-after Porsches on the market, making this matching numbers example in very good condition and with a comprehensive history file a particularly attractive opportunity.

Estim. 400,000 - 600,000 EUR

1959 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale 750 SS "Muso Basso" by Bertone Series: AR10120 00048 Engine: AR00120 0017 Swiss registration Vehicle temporarily imported into the EU Alfa Romeo certificate - Rare Muso Basso version - Quality restoration - One of the few SS with a Palmarès. The collaboration between Alfa Romeo and Bertone gave rise to some exceptional projects, thanks to the genius of its designer Franco Scaglione. The "BAT" (Berlina Aerodinamica Tecnica) and "Disco Volante" projects gave rise to the "Sprint Speciale" in prototype form in 1957, then in series production from 1959. From 1960 onwards, the car evolved to comply with American standards. The first series, type 750 SS, was produced in a run of around 100 examples to obtain homologation for use in competition. This series is distinguished by its lack of bumpers and its "Muso Basso" nose. The example we present here, the 48th produced, was delivered new from the Porto dealership in Portugal under the registration number OP 21-55 on August 19, 1959. Its first owner was none other than Manuel Nogueira Pinto, the famous Portuguese racing driver of the 1960s. As soon as he received his car, he entered several competitions. He took second place in the Vila do Conde race in 1959, entered under number 11 (see photograph). He soon exchanged his Alfa Romeo and an assistance truck for the driver Frederico José Carlos Themudo (known as Fritz d'Oray) for a Ferrari 250 GT. At the end of 1959, Fritz d'Oray, then an F1 driver with Maserati, was hired by the Serenissima Scuderia to drive a 250 GT SWB in the 1960 Le Mans 24 Hours. Having never raced at Le Mans, he decided to train before qualifying, and did so with this Alfa Romeo Guilietta SS. Injured with his Ferrari during qualifying, he spent several months in hospital. The Alfa Romeo was left in the parking lot and impounded. Fritz d'Oray kept his Sprint Special until the mid-60s. This Guilietta SS then had another Portuguese owner. In 1980, the car changed hands and became the property of a Lisbon enthusiast, José Augusto Xavier Moreira. He kept it for 10 years. In 1990, our Guilietta SS left Portugal for the first time. It was acquired by Dr. Richard Schimmer of Düsseldorf. He undertook a restoration of the car, which lasted over 10 years. In 2004, Gerald Bugnon acquired the unfinished car through Garage Vetter. Vetter took on the task of restoring the mechanics, which had been left intact in Germany, and completing the work that had already begun. The work was completed in 2006. A total of over CHF 90,000 was spent to bring the car up to its current state, including upholstery, fittings, mechanics and running gear. Today, almost 20 years after the work was completed, the car remains in a very fine state, testifying to the quality of the work carried out. This automotive masterpiece represents the pinnacle of Bertone design in the 50s! 1959 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale 750 SS "Muso Basso" by Bertone Series: AR10120 00048 Engine: AR00120 0017 Swiss registration Vehicle temporarily imported into the EU Alfa Romeo certificate - Rare Muso Basso version - Quality restoration - One of the few SS to have won a prize. The collaboration between Alfa Romeo and Bertone gave rise to some exceptional projects thanks to its genius designer Franco Scaglione. The "BAT" (Berlina Aerodinamica Tecnica) and "Disco Volante" projects gave rise to the "Sprint Speciale" in prototype form in 1957 and then in series production from 1959. From 1960 onwards, the car evolved to comply with American standards. Around 100 of the first series, the 750 SS, were produced to obtain homologation for use in competition. This series can be distinguished by its lack of bumpers and its nose nicknamed 'Muso Basso'. The car we are presenting here, the 48th to be produced, was delivered new from the Porto dealership in Portugal under the registration number OP 21-55 on 19 August 1959. Its first owner was none other than Manuel Nogueira Pinto, the famous Portuguese racing driver of the 1960s. As soon as he received his car, he entered several competitions. He took second place in the Vila do Conde race in 1959, entered under number 11 (see photograph). He soon swapped his Alfa Romeo and an assistance truck for the driver Frederico José Carlos Themudo (known as Fritz d'Oray) for a Ferrari 250 GT. At the end of 1959, Fritz d'Oray, then an F1 driver with Maserati, was hired by the Serenissima Scuderia to drive a 250 GT SWB in the 1960 Le Mans 24 Hours. Having never raced at Le Mans, he decided to train befor

Estim. 300,000 - 350,000 EUR

Rover Mini, British Open Classic - 24 km 1996 - French registration title No MOT Launched in 1959 by the British Motor Corporation, the Mini is an icon of the Sixties; elegant, agile and efficient in urban traffic as well as on more hostile and sportier terrain, this revolutionary and economical car for its time has delighted generations of drivers. Our example was ordered new from Ets Beaulieu Automobiles, in Salon-de-Provence, in May 1996; this Mini has since been stored at the home of its one and only owner and has never been used, its odometer reading less than 24 km when it finally found the light of day a few weeks ago. It is accompanied by a complete file including order form, purchase invoice, provisional registration document, duplicate keys, as well as all the logbooks and on-board manuals; it still has the stickers displaying its provisional number (the definitive number plates are present but have never been drilled or fitted to the car). In keeping with the special British Open series presented in 1992, it has immaculate British Racing Green bodywork, enhanced by decorative fillets and gold logos, while the interior features comfortable beige velvet upholstery and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, all in new condition; in addition to its light alloy wheels, chrome grille, handles and bumpers, the car’s major asset is its electric canvas sunroof which, when opened, floods the passenger compartment with light. Equipped with a lively, responsive 1300 injection engine, our car (which will have to be restarted) is a magnificent time machine; it represents a unique opportunity to acquire what is certainly the least-mileage Mini on the market in an exceptional state of preservation.

Estim. 20,000 - 40,000 EUR

ANTOINE D'AGATA 1961- - ANTOINE D'AGATA 1961- "NOIA", Super Labo, 2014, 36p. Book. Signed edition limited to 500 copies. In-folio (39.6 x 29.7 cm) An endless accumulation of empty stares perpetuates the dazed destitution of men defeated by History. Everything is done to eradicate any trace of desire, rage, violence, pain, fear or animal pleasure. Fragile shadows free themselves from social control by regaining control of their bodies. Through the degeneration of bodies and the paroxysm of emotions, the images reveal fragments of society that escape the usual analysis and visualization of the social body, but are nonetheless its primary elements. Confronting the contradictions inherent in the use of documentary photography, structuring a physical and psychic journey overshadowed by dependence, pain, risk, randomness and unconsciousness. Poverty is contrary to order. Bestiality is the ultimate bulwark against the anaesthesia of the senses and the mentality of a society that defines objects and people as commodities. Those who emancipate themselves from physical deprivation and escape the moral order gain access to the last magical rites of instinct, as the intimate territory of social resistance, the antidote to the commercial dream, the alternative to the violence of social stability. The production of pornographic images may paradoxically be the only truly committed position, an alternative to the violence of a social stability founded on the frustration of unfulfilled lust. Only the mixing of bodies escapes history, in a slow agony, under the seal of consciousness and irony, conjuring death and responding to a loving vision of the world.

Estim. 100 - 200 EUR