Peter McManus Motorcycle Collection Auctioned
Published July 10th, 2007
Sales of one-owner collections never fail to excite the serious motorcycle collector, and that of the Peter McManus Collection proved no exception. Bonhams’ sale was held in the historic setting of the vendor’s Derbyshire farm, where the fine Victorian architecture attracted almost as much attention as the Vintage and Classic-era machines on display.
Pre-sale interest had been running at an unprecedented level, with enquiries approaching Stafford numbers, and hundreds of eager enthusiasts braved the often inclement weather on viewing and sale days. Comprised almost entirely of ‘barn find’ restoration projects and sold entirely without reserve, the Collection of 170-plus machines realised £162,000 including premium. A limited selection of private entries was offered in addition to the McManus Collection, contributing a further £58,000 to the sale total of £220,000.
The Collection’s best result was achieved by the restored 1938 Nimbus 750cc Four with Bender sidecar, which sold for a premium-inclusive £6,670 against a top estimate of £4,000, followed closely by the 1926 BSA 986cc Model F V-Twin, which realised £6,325 against an identical estimate.
