Milhous Collection to be Offered in Boca Raton
RM Auctions, in association with Sotheby’s, will be offering one of the world’s most famous private museums, the Milhous Collection, during a multi-day sale to be held February 24 – 25 in Boca Raton, Fla.
“The result of over five decades of judicious collecting by brothers Bob and Paul Milhous, the extraordinary collection features an unparalleled series of mechanical musical instruments, automobiles and collectibles, handpicked from around the world and representing the ‘best of the very best’,” officials explained.
And the collection contains some significant automotive highlights, as well.
The upcoming Milhous Collection sale presents a gathering of more than 30 automobiles, spanning the spectrum of the collector car market from high-horsepower Brass era cars to a superb roster of coachbuilt classics and historically-significant Indianapolis racing cars.
Headlining the offering is a Pebble Beach class winning 1912 Oldsmobile Limited Five-Passenger Touring, chassis number 64626, the only known surviving example from 1912 and featuring one-off coachwork (Est. $1,400,000 – $1,600,000), officials noted.
Other notable highlights from the various different genres include: the ex-Ralph Roberts 1933 Chrysler Custom Imperial Tourist with stunning LeBaron coachwork (Est. $750,000 – $1,000,000); a flawless 1939 Lagonda V-12 Rapide Sports Roadster, delivered new to actor Robert Montgomery (Est. $400,000 – $550,000); and the 1949 Rounds Rocket Race Car, the first mid-engine, rear-drive Indianapolis racing car and featuring superb provenance including an alleged Howard Hughes connection (Est. $250,000 – $350,000).
The sale will also feature a Pebble Beach "Best of Show" winning 1934 Packard Super Eight Convertible Victoria by Dietrich, the first car acquired by the Milhous brothers and making its initial trip to the market after over 40 years (Est. $150,000 – $250,000).
Other notable entries include a majestic 1930 Duesenberg Model J Murphy Convertible Sedan (Est. $900,000 – $1,200,000); a well-documented 1932 Marmon Sixteen Convertible Sedan, just four owners from new (Est. $400,000 – $600,00); and a stunning pair of Fleetwood-designed Cadillac Sixteens (Est. $700,000 – $1,000,000 each), all of which are displayed in a faithful replica of the original Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg showroom within the private Milhous museum.
The sale also features a selection of collectible motorcycles, including a 1949 Indian Scout Motorcycle and a 1972 Harley-Davidson FLH1200 Super Glide Motorcycle (Est. $20,000 – $30,000 each), along with a pair of antique tractors including a 1946 John Deere Model LA Tractor (Est. $5,000 – $10,000).
The auction will be held during the same weekend as the famed Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance.
Full event details, select video highlights and a complete list of auction offerings are available online at www.rmauctions.com/milhous or www.sothebys.com.