Most important upcoming auctions of 2011

The Jerni Collection

Sotheby’s is proudly auctioning the world’s largest toy collection with an estimated value in the tens of millions of dollars. The collection of 35,000 vintage toys is said to be the most comprehensive toy collection in the world. The Jerni Collection, which has been amassed by American collector Jerry Greene over a period of 50 years, pays tribute to the Golden Age of toy making. The collection, which includes toys made between 1850 and 1940, and replicas of real train stations, bridges and buildings destroyed during both world wars, was on display until the end of February 2011. Experts have valued it at between £25 million and £31 million.
 ‘Batman Forever’ Batmobile

The Batmobile that Val Kilmer drove in the 1995 Warner Bros. film “Batman Forever” will be sold by “Auctions America by RM” at its March 4 sale in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The fiberglass car is still in good running condition and is estimated to sell for between $200,000 and $275,000.

 1955 Ferrari 375 MM Berlinetta

RM Auctions will offer an iconic 1955 Ferrari 375 MM Berlinetta by Pinin Farina at its debut sale during the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Lake Como on May 21. Done in two-tone ivory and metallic blue, the Ferrrai with s/n 0490 AM was the last 375 MM built and is said to be the last Ferrari to carry the famed “Mille Miglia” designation. The car has been displayed at some of the world’s most prestigious concours events, including the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2004 and the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in 2005. It is expected to fetch up to $5 million.

 1952 Ferrari 340 Mexico Coupe

Early Ferraris are always in demand, and the RM Auctions’ Automobiles of Amelia Island event in March is offering the iconic 1952 340 Mexico Coupe. Ferrari built only three examples, equipped with a 280-horsepower, 4.1-liter V-12 and a five-speed manual transmission. Expected to sell for between $2.7 and $3.5 million, the 1952 340 Mexico is the star of the Amelia event.

Mecum’s 24th Original Spring Classic Auction

Dana Mecum’s flagship event, the 24th Original Spring Classic Auction, May 17-22, 2011, will feature more than 2,000 collector cars, motorcycles and thousands of neon signs and memorabilia. It’s the world’s largest collector car auction, and will run through six days, featuring every genre of collector car. Among the main attractions are the Shelby Cobra CSX2096, a significant collection of Ram Air IV GTOs from the Zeb Morris Estate and the ultimate collection of Nickey Chevys ever offered to the public, featuring the 1967 Nickey/Bill Thomas 427 Super Camaro.

Hottest auctions of 2011 so far:
1. Lord Raglan’s Bugatti Type 51

The 1933 Bugatti Type 51 Grand Prix two-seater owned by the late Fitzroy John Somerset, the 5th Baron Raglan (1927-2010), Patron and former Chairman of the Bugatti Owners’ Club and trustee of the Bugatti Trust, was the top lot at the Bonhams’ Paris sale of Motor Cars on February 5, 2011. The iconic roadster sold for €943,000 ($1.30 million). The Type 51 series succeeded the famous Type 35 as Bugatti’s premier racing car for the 1930s. Lord Raglan, whose great-great grandfather, the 1st Baron, was the general in command of British troops in the Crimean War, was renowned for his love of collectors’ motor cars. “My passion for Bugattis started when I was 18 and I have raced around the world,” he once said.