Actor Steve McQueen Automobile Memorabilia Auction was a Success

Actor Steve McQueen’s automobile memorabilia was up for bidding on October 25th and a complete success. His racing trophy sold for $125,000.00 and his wife Neile McQueen (Neile Adams) sold several of his guns which brought a heaping number of dollars ($200,000.00). As you recall Steve McQueen died from mesothelioma in Mexico in 1980.

The range of the auction was from $500.00 to hundreds of thousands of dollars. On sale was a 1958 GMC pickup truck, 1929 Harley Davidson Model B, and 1920 Indian Powerplus ‘Daytona’ Racing Motorcycle. These brought in a whopping $1,000,000.00 dollars.

Included in the Bonham’s and Butterfield’s auction in Los Angeles, California was a pair of chaps from "Tom Horn", western saddle by Jack Grigsby, Wells Fargo Bank Master Charge credit card, mailgram regarding John Wayne, Wurlitzer jukebox and Coca-Cola advertising standee. These sold for over $500,000.00 dollars.

The 130 motorcycles and 35 cars that were auctioned brought in a total of $6.5 million dollars. Automobile memorabilia does pay off for you collectors and car enthusiasts.

There were a lot more big ticket items: McQueen's 1879 .44-caliber Winchester rifle, one of 18 guns for sale, went for a cool $20,000 (estimate $2500); a personalized Idaho license plate—MCQ3188, the number referring to his ID number at the Boys Republic reform school—was a shocker at $4500 (estimate $100); and his circa 1920 Indian Powerplus board-tracker (lead photo) brought $130,000 (estimate $60-90,000).

Too rich for ya? Then how about a T-shirt “heavily worn and faded with holes and rips throughout” for $3250? Or maybe one of the man's baseball caps, old and crumbling, for $2500? If McQueen sweat in it, it was worth money.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jacques Vaucher was schooled at Winfield France's famous racing school. Jacques found his niche in touring car endurance championships in the US and produced winning results in Limerock and Watkins Glen. He has been in automobile memorabilia for 30 years with galleries in New York and now Harper, Texas. His main site is http://www.arteauto.com/ and his auction site is http://www.arteautoauction.com/. His blog is http://www.arteautoblog.com/.
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