In what was being hailed as the "sale of the decade", Auctions America by RM sells off what is a truly unbelievable collection of motorcycles, cars, parts and memorabilia – including the largest collection of license plates in the U.S., some 10,000! – amassed by collector Lee Hartung over 60-plus years. The collection includes 48 vintage motorcycles.
Lee Roy Hartung, who died in May, 2011, at the age of 86, was a Chicago-area junk and scrap dealer with a keen eye for the rare and unusual. The scope of the collection, which he had displayed as a "museum" for years, boggles one's mind. Cars included a very rare BMW-powered 1950 Veritas (Latin for “truth”), a twin-grilled 1936 Lincoln Zephyr and a 1950 Edwards Roadster. The majority of the motorcycles were American, with popular names like Indian, Henderson and Harley-Davidson well represented. Among the foreign names is a 1904 four-cylinder Belgian FN in original running condition.
Adjust your drool-buckets, a small example of the auction follows...
A 1910 Thor single-cylinder went for $32,000, 1912 single-cylinder belt-drive Harley-Davidson, which the auctioneer claimed was "one of the best examples in the world, drew $100,000, a 1911 Flying Merkel, belt drive, V-twin brought a gasp-causing $175,000, 1904 four-cylinder FN with shaft drive-$48,000, 1913 Thor with the original sidecar - $47,000, a 1911 Pope Model H single-cylinder-$72,000, 1913 Indian V- twin, not running, missing fenders, handbars, controls, etc., still fetched an impressive $15,000, a super-cool 1926 Henderson Glenview Rural Fire Dept bike (even the motor was red), with the original fire extinguisher and first aid kit - $55,000, 1926 Henderson with no motor but, pretty complete frame, wheels, etc. - $26,000 and a 1921 Excelsior V-twin (Lee once told a guy that he called someone up, and asked him to take this bike away, for free) sold for $42,500.
Then, at the end of the day, an old biker cap sold for $6,250.
Today in motorcycle history proudly supports the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD). www.nabd.org.uk
Then, at the end of the day, an old biker cap sold for $6,250.
Today in motorcycle history proudly supports the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD). www.nabd.org.uk
