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Milhous Collection sold for $38.3m

Milhous Collection sold for $38.3m

1912 Oldsmobile is the top seller

A 1912 Oldsmobile Limited Five-Passenger Touring is the weekend's top seller at $ 3.3m, with total sales coming in at $ 38m

Milhous Collection sold for $38.3mOver two days, hosted by RM Auctions in association with Sotherby's, the entire catalogue of collectibles, mechanical musical pieces, cars, guns and petroliana belonging to the Milhous brothers was auctioned for a total of $38.3 million.

The biggest seller of the weekend was the Pebble Beach class winning 1912 Oldsmobile Limited Five-Passenger Touring, selling for $3,300,000 - a world record for an Oldsmobile sold at auction.

The centrepiece of the entire collection, a custom built carousel, also drew strong interest from collectors. The one-of-a-kind, fully-functioning work of art, spurred a lively bidding war in the room and on the phone, realising a final sales price of $1,207,500.

Elsewhere, staggering sums exchanged hands for some of the world's finest mechanical musical instruments. A ‘1903 Ruth Style 38-B Fair Organ’ achieved $1,265,000, the ‘Gaudin 125-Key Dance Organ’, $1,150,000 and the ‘1913 Welte Wotan Brass Band Orchestrion’, $1,092,500.

Rob Myers, Chairman and Founder, RM Auctions said: 'We’re thrilled with the results from the Milhous Collection sale. The incredible quality and presentation of the collection captured the attention of the global collector world, resulting in lively bidding and setting numerous records. Never before has such a wonderful series of automobiles, mechanical musical instruments and collectibles been offered to the public in one location. In terms of its diversity, international interest and results, it set a new benchmark for this type of private collection sale.

RM will be expecting a similarly impressive performance at its next Florida sale, the 10 March Amelia Island event. Here you can review the events catalog.

1912 Oldsmobile Limited Five-Passenger Touring
1998 46-Foot Custom Carousel With 42 Animals, 2 Chariots and Wurlitzer 153 Band Organ
1903 Ruth Style 38-B Fair Organ
Gaudin 125-Key Dance Organ
1913 Welte Wotan Brass Band Orchestrion
1933 Chrysler Custom Imperial Five-Passenger Phaeton