LE GRAND PALAIS ~ Motorcycle Fashions

February 4, 2011

LE GRAND PALAIS

9:07 AM

When the Retromobile management changed last year, Bonhams auction house got the boot in favor of Artcurial, a French auction house. Undaunted, they chose the ultimate exhibition hall as the venue for their 2011 sale of fine cars and motorcycles in Paris; the Grand Palais. Built in 1900, this building is the ultimate flowering of a 19th Century craze for extravagant glass-and-steel palaces, and outshines even the memory of England's Crystal Palace - whereas the English were fairly straightforward in their riveted steel greenhouses, the French literally bent steel into Art Nouveau whiplash curves, floral grillwork, and curlicue steel flourishes.

The building is nothing short of astonishing, even today, for the generosity of artistic spirit. To say 'they don't build them like they used to' is beyond an understatement, for while the exteriors of modern convention centers may have swooping curves and clean abstract shapes, once inside they are eminently forgettable and anonymous...as is, sadly, the case with the Paris Expo at the Porte de Versailles, where Retromobile is housed. Thus, in the case of Bonhams turnout from their former turf, they turned lemons into champagne.

Part of the 'deal' with the City of Paris was to exhibit cars relevant to the space and the history of the Grand Palais as the former home of many an industrial and automotive exhibit from 1900 onwards. While the 'for sale' cars and bikes stretch the huge length of the main hall, the 'apse' of the building held a collection of 30 or so Pioneer and Veteran cars, most of them French, which would have been exhibit at the very spot when introduced at the great Paris Automobile shows, held from 1901-60.

Some of the earliest vehicles, like the DeDion Bouton or Léon Bollée (above) trikes, were close cousins of motorcycles from the days when three-wheelers were lumped in with two in the mind of the public. A lone 1902 Griffon (below) stood on the sweeping marble staircase to the mezzanine, unrestored...and wouldn't it be great to exhibit a few more bikes on the mezzanine proper, next year?

The selection of machines is as you would expect from Bonhams - a fantastic array of Bugattis, Ferraris, Alfas, Rolls' - who have increased the number of motorcycles included with their 'car' sales in a conscious attempt to 'cross-breed' the two camps of collectors. As noted in TheVintagent's Las Vegas 2011 posts, the 'car people' have entered the 'bike world', and at Vegas, skimmed the créme from the top of both auctions, buying virtually every motorcycle going under the hammer at over $100,000.

As these buyers are already well known to the auction houses from prior 'automotive' relations, it makes sense to the auction houses to entice them further with a tasty selection of machines at the Grand Palais. Make no mistake; these new faces are doing their homework, speaking with knowledgeable bike experts, and choosing their purchases very carefully.

They'll have a selection of interesting unrestored bikes, such as this 1923 616cc Wanderer v-twin, a terrific '23 Motosacoche 500cc 'Sport' twin, and 'barn find' 1928 BMW 746cc R62 with sidecar. A host of Vincents from Comets to a Black Knight, a terrific 1950 Moto Guzzi 500cc 'Dondolino' replica, and ultimately, a 1922 Megola 'Touring' model.

While the Megola is surely the most technically interesting machine on the floor, the restoration is only so-so, with some chrome (instead of nickel) and a few other easily rectified minor faults. Some parts on the chassis are new as well, so the price is likely to be 'low' for this amazing 5-cylinder curiosity, although with 145,000 euros the likely reserve, no Megola will ever be inexpensive. And, this one runs! If you'd like to hear what that sounds like, check this video from last year in Bavaria. Surely, any running Megola is a worthwhile addition to a collection; surely no one is immune to their bizarre attraction.