Bonhams’ 2017 Las Vegas motorcycle auction
In the US, January is the first big auction “season” of the year, mainly in Arizona, where most of the big auction houses conduct expansive auctions of classic and collectable cars.
In neighboring Nevada, motorcycle auctions are the focus, with two big sales run by Bonhams and Mecum in the gambling capital of Las Vegas.
Big Show
Mecum’s January auction, held over four days, attracted more than 1,000 motorcycles. By comparison, Bonhams’ sale, held at the Rio Hotel and Casino, was a one day sale and attracted a more modest total; just shy of 350 bikes.
The variety across both sales was impressive, and first timers should note that it’s not all mega dollar machinery. Some lots can be had for hundreds of dollars, rather than hundreds of thousands, while those more interested in motorcycling memorabilia and collectables than actual bikes are catered for, too.
When it comes to the bikes, it’s the rare units, usually from the likes of Vincent and Brough Superior, that are the big money spinners in Vegas. However, past years have shown an increasing demand for veteran-era American motorcycles, with early examples from Harley-Davidson, Indian, Excelsior, Henderson and the like selling well. Some of the more stratospheric pricing is reserved for rarer early marques like Reading, Crocker, Cleveland, Pope and Flying Merkel. This year, it was Feilbach. ‘Feil-who?’ you may ask. Don’t worry, we had to look it up, too.
Milwaukee Marvel
Founded in 1904 in Milwaukee, Feilbach may have occupied the same soil as Harley-Davidson, but never came close to achieving that brand’s popularity when new. Conversely, that’s a big part of its appeal today and why a Feilbach Limited from 1914 proved to be the top seller at the Bonhams auction on 26 January.
The Feilbach story goes back to 1904 when German immigrant Arthur Otto Feilbach first began to produce motorcycles in his Milwaukee garage.
These early examples were 350cc belt-driven singles, with the engines and most of the major cycle parts being of Feilbach’s own design and manufacture. Each bike was built to a high standard, but in small numbers. As such, Feilbach didn’t really spread beyond its home town and wasn’t even incorporated as a company until 1907. Production increased incrementally in the years that followed, but the move to proper factory premises in 1912 saw the Feilbach Motor Company Ltd. go up a gear.
A year later, Feilbach introduced his first v-twin, followed in 1914 by a v-twin with the choice of chain or 2-speed shaft drive; the latter being a rarity for the period. The “Limited” name was adopted in this year, too, suggesting the premium nature of the Feilbach product.
Innovations found on the 1914 Feilbach v-twins include offset cylinders, separate camshafts and a special heavy-duty frame designed to cope with road conditions of the period. Like past product, this was all designed and built in-house, with only the usual bought-in parts, like a Troxel saddle, Corbin rear brake, Schebler carburettor and Berling magneto not coming from the Feilbach workshop.
The expansion year of 1914 would prove to be Feilbach’s last as a motorcycle manufacturer. The Limited proved to have a “limited” market, and allied to a high price, high production costs and some alleged skullduggery on the part of Harley-Davidson (ensuring their cross-town rival didn’t receive finance for expansion), Feilbach closed its doors late in 1914.
The bike featured, a 10hp 1130cc v-twin Limited - actually came after that closure, produced by Arthur Feilbach from leftover parts and used as his personal ride for a number of years. After Feilbach’s death in 1956, the bike remained in the family’s possession until the 1980s, when it was sold to Joe Koller, a member of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America (AMCA).
Almost seven decades of use – and arguably some neglect – meant the bike was in rough shape when Koller purchased it, with a number of parts, like the footboards, missing. But thanks to factory blueprints that were found in an antique shop, Koller was able to remanufacture many of the missing components. He resisted the temptation to do a complete bare metal restoration on the Limited, instead bringing it back to complete and running condition.
The Feilbach came to auction as one of a group of four American-made motorcycles from the Larry Bowman Collection, the others being an unrestored 1925 Excelsior Super X, restored 1937 Harley EL Knucklehead and restored 1937 Indian Sport Four.
The “cover bike” for the Bonhams catalogue, the 10hp Feilbach lived up to its top billing, selling for US$195,000 (AU$255,100) against a US$200,000 high estimate.
Of the other bikes in the Bowman group, the ’37 Harley sold for $82,800 (AU$108,300 approx.), the ’37 Indian for US$69,000 (AU$90,250 approx.), and the ’25 Excelsior sold for US$43,700 (AU$57,000 approx.)
Ducati Day
Prior to the 26 January auction, there was a lot of focus on a group of Ducatis consigned, which included rare classics, ex-factory racers and an example of the desirable, limited edition Desmosedici RR MotoGP replica.
Despite the appeal and provenance of many of the units offered, sales were patchy in this group, with the best result being US$109,250 (AU$142,530 approx.) for a 1974 750 SS; comfortably exceeding its US$85,000 estimate, despite its average condition and aerosol can paint job.
A one-of-three 1984 750 TT1 works road racer came to Vegas with an AU$200,000 high estimate, but was passed in, as was a 1975 900 SS Superbike prototype against an AU$160,000 high estimate. However, there was a sale on the ’73 750cc works endurance racer that was originally a spare bike for the 1973 Bol d’Or, and was campaigned in the Isle of Man TT and North West 200. With long term race history, the 750cc racer sold for US$40,250 (AU$52,511).
Another no-sale was the 1958 125GP Bialbero. One of the early desmodromic competition models, the unit consigned was restored and came to auction with a US$130,000 high estimate, but was passed in.
The aforementioned Desmosedici RR was a one-owner example and sold for US$41,400 (AU$54,042 approx.), while one for the true Ducati fans was a special cutaway version of the 750 Sport twin engine, created by marque specialist Jeff Nash for display purposes, that sold for US$9,375 (AU$12,230 approx.).
Also at Bonhams
Behind the top-selling Feilbach, there was a trio of Vincents, led by a 1955 Series D Black Knight, followed by a 1952 Series C Black Shadow and a 1949 Series B Black Shadow. These three, all restored, sold for US$150,000, US$135,000 and US$112,125, respectively (AU$195,700, AU$176,120 and AU$146,280 approx.)
These were in turn followed by a 1916 Henderson Four (AU$146,700 approx.), the aforementioned 1974 Ducati 750 SS and a ’55 Vincent Black Prince, which went for AU$135,378.
It seems every motorcycle auction in the US these days features an ex-Steve McQueen bike, and this one was no exception, with a 1912 Harley-Davidson X8E consigned from McQueen’s former collection.
From the first year of Harley’s ‘Big Twin’ range and part of the McQueen estate sale in 1984, this unrestored but running unit was allegedly part-painted by McQueen and hot rod artist, Von Dutch. Previously consigned for Bonhams’ 2015 Las Vegas auction, the X8E sold for US$117,300 (AU$153,000 approx.) back then. This time, it made US$82,800 (AU$108,000 approx.).
Oddities and rarities at the Bonhams sale included a Hungarian-made Pannonia T5 250cc 2-stroke single, presented in very good condition and fitted with a Jetsons-looking Duna sidecar, which made a very affordable US$4,600 (AU$6,000 approx.), while an ’87 Harley FXR fitted with a Corbin ‘Warbird’ bodykit sold for US$9,200 (AU$12,035 approx.).
A V8-engined drag bike built by American E.J. Potter was another unusual consignment – with a possible Aussie connection, too. Potter may be familiar to some JUST BIKES readers for exhibition runs he performed at drag strips here in the early 1970s, and it’s believed the 350 V8 Chevy-engined and Harley-framed concoction offered at the Bonhams was the actual bike used by Potter to record an 8.68 second quarter mile run here that put him into the Guinness Book of Records. There’s more to this story, which we’ll elaborate on in a future issue.
Long-time JUST BIKES advertisers, Classic Style Australia, also had a few consignments in the Vegas auction, including a restored 1953 BSA Gold Star which sold for US$14,950 (AU$19,550 approx.), and a Rotax-engined ’88 Matchless that was passed in.
Adding more Aussie flavor to this auction was the sole-surviving Indian-Vincent prototype that was formerly the property of Phil Irving, but came into the hands of Phil Pilgrim of Union Jack Motorcycles in 2001, who recognized it as the prototype and restored it to its authentic “transatlantic” specification. This is another motorcycle we’ll take a closer look at in a future issue.
We’ll also look at highlights from the Mecum Las Vegas auction, where a 1912 Henderson was the top seller, next month.
For further results from the Bonhams Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction, go to: <a href="www.bonhams.com">Bonhams</a>
Words: Mike Ryan
Photos: courtesy of Bonhams
