Pre-war stars shine in $33.9m Gooding Christie's auction

The Stan Lucas Collection sale sets new records for several models

- Matthew Hayward

IN RECENT YEARS, prewar cars have often had a tough old time at the auctions, with the interest and market seeming to shift towards more modern machines. There have been plenty of exceptions, however, and as the $33.9m Gooding Christie's Stan Lucas Collection Auction demonstrates, offering them at the right time and in the right place can make all the difference. Lucas died earlier this year; he was an avid prewar collector, and all the 99 lots were offered with no reserve.