Almost two years ago, Paco Carrión gave the first news of the Baillon collection auction, a colossal mountain of rust which broke all records at the Retromòbile in Paris. Even today it remains one of the symbols of the call 'bubble of the classics', which is why the prices of some of our beloved pots have gone through the roof.
La Baillon collection It was mostly composed of memorable pieces -Ferrari, Bugatti, Delahaye, etc- but its state of conservation was simply pitiful; so much so that it was hard to believe that someone, no matter how fond they had, could bring them back to life. The truth is that today we would say none of its illustrious members has returned to the road.
The 'vintage' car cemeteries are scattered throughout Europe and America as well. They are not legion, but there are a few; and we all know stories of wastelands and warehouses full of decaying old iron. Even we have counted some 'made in Spain'. Every so often it appears a new macro discovery or, at least, a news related to his brothers ...
Rust up for auction: Gerard Gombert Collection
This has been the case of the Gerard Gombert collection, Discreetly auctioned yesterday in Fayence, France, by the Osenat house. According to account barnfinds.com leaning on ClassicDriver, Gombert is a former rally driver and automotive entrepreneur who has wanted his cars to age - literally - with him. The initial idea was turn them into 'cubes' when he died but it seems that, for whatever reason, he has changed his mind.
Has he finally understood that some of his treasures deserve a second chance? The prices have been rather conservative, which leads us to think that it is not doing it for the money. On the other hand, it is curious the little expectation that has awakened the sale in the media, because there is even a Lamborghini Miura S among the 80 or 90 cars auctioned. And, although we do not deal with them today, there are as many other motorcycles.
Be that as it may, the news gives us once again the opportunity to delight ourselves with the rust and the wild passage of time ... And it is that, Who can resist?