Did you catch the bikes on display in the Dealernews area during AIMExpo? They were there as a teaser for Mecum’s 31st Annual Vintage & Antique Motorcycle Auction held in Las Vegas this past weekend. The auction had a record setting event, reaching $22 million in sales for a 21% increase over last year. In all, 1,221 motorcycles were sold of the 1,310 offered in Las Vegas for a sell-through rate of more than 93%.
All of the top 10 sellers at the Las Vegas auction achieved impressive six-figure sale prices with a 1938 Brough Superior SS100 (Lot S112) leading the pack at $236,500. The iconic motorcycle boasted a professional restoration and resulting awards including People’s Choice from the San Jose Clubman Show and Best of Show at El Camino. Runner-up among Vegas top sales was a celebrated 1951 Vincent Black Shadow Series C (Lot F195.1) that sold for $231,000. A 1917 Henderson Model G Four Cylinder (Lot S58) and a 1936 Harley-Davidson EL Knucklehead (Lot F192) tied for the third and fourth seat among top sales bringing $203,500 each, followed by a 1919 Harley-Davidson J Twin (Lot T12), three Indian Four Cylinders (Lots F153, S151 and S152), another Knucklehead (Lot S150) and a 1931 Henderson Four Cylinder (Lot F195).
Private collections were well received at the auction with the headlining Harley-Davidson Heritage Collection achieving more than $4.1 million in sales and The Bob & Dolva Mitchell Collection selling in its entirety and seeing its 14 motorcycles bring an aggregate $1.3 million. The desirable five-bike offering from Dr. J. Craig Venter also sold in its entirety for a total of $821,700. The Brown Family Collection achieved $911,350 overall, and The Robert Richardson Collection saw 12 of its cycles hammer sold for a total of $444,400.
Road Art also found great success in Vegas with $553,342 in total sales achieved and top-selling lots including a handful of bronze sculptures by celebrated artist Jeff Decker. A life-sized rendering of Joe Petrali (Lot S179) sold for $88,500, while his work titled “Neck and Neck with Death” (Lot Z534) brought $67,260. Decker’s “Harley-Davidson Bronze Bullet Sidecar” statue (Lot Z539) came in as Road Art’s third highest seller at $47,200.
The complete top 10 motorcycle sales at Mecum Las Vegas 2022 include:
• 1938 Brough Superior SS100 (Lot S112) at $236,500
• 1951 Vincent Series C Black Shadow (Lot F195.1) at $231,000
• 1917 Henderson Model G Four Cylinder (Lot S58) at $203,500
• 1936 Harley-Davidson EL Knucklehead (Lot F192) at $203,500
• 1919 Harley-Davidson J Twin (Lot T12) at $165,000
• 1939 Indian Four Cylinder (Lot F153) at $159,500
• 1941 Harley-Davidson TA Knucklehead (Lot S150) at $154,000
• 1932 Indian Four Cylinder (Lot S151) at $154,000
• 1940 Indian Four Cylinder (Lot S152) at $154,000
• 1931 Henderson Four Cylinder (Lot F195) at $154,000
For access to complete auction results, sign up for a free MyMecum account at Mecum.com. Watch an encore presentation of the Mecum Las Vegas motorcycle auction anytime on MotorTrend+. Mecum’s Glendale 2022 auction at State Farm Stadium in Arizona is next on the company’s live auction schedule. Slated for March 16-19, the still-growing auction is expected to feature 1,500 collector cars and approximately 100 vintage and antique motorcycles.
