A rusting but rare Alfa Romeo found in a shed near London has sold at auction for STG 1.063 million pounds, British auctioneers Bonhams Brooks said today.
The car, unused for 42 years and in need of total restoration, is a 1932 2.3 litre supercharged 8C-2300 Corto Spider Corsa bought for 350 pounds in 1959.
"It is extremely rare because of its connections to the illustrious Ferrari marque and its founder Enzo Ferrari, who prepared the machine for racing," Bonham's spokesman Mr Doug Nye said.
The previous owner, whose identity was not disclosed, died recently and the car, kept at Ivinghoe, in Buckinghamshire, northwest of London, was sold as part of an estate auction. Mr Nye said he doubted if the man's family had had any idea of the car's worth.
In Scotland today a large presentation decanter, reputedly a gift from Queen Victoria to a resident in Aberdeenshire, was sold for nearly three times its estimated value.
The decanter, which dates from between 1875 and 1880, had been expected to fetch up to £1,300 at Phillips Auctioneers' Scottish sale in Edinburgh. But it went under the hammer for £3,860.
According to the family history of the vendor, the decanter was given by Queen Victoria to George Thompson, of Torna-Coille, Banchory.
Meanwhile a painting by the contemporary Scottish artist Jack Vettriano entitled A Couple Dancing on the Beachsold for £27,600. It had been estimated to fetch between £10,000 and £15,000.
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