Marlene Dietrich's Rolls Royce speeds to $524,000 at Bonhams' Scottsdale auction

Bonhams offered a range of classic cars including Marlene Dietrich's Rolls Royce and a 1937 Mercedes

Bonhams has been a part of the famous Scottsdale auction of classic cars this week, and presented a range of cars from both Europe and the States to give a typically trans-Atlantic feel to their auction which achieved $6.2m.

Malcolm Barber, CEO of Bonhams Group enthused: "We are delighted with the results of this multi-million-dollar auction and the reception we received in Scottsdale. There was universal praise for the venue and the selection on offer, and we will definitely be back next January."

There were two keys lots in the auction, one deriving part of its covetability for its previous owner and the other famous in its own right.

The latter was the top lot of the sale: a 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet C which, though obviously being built in Europe, was spirited away to the US soon after it was made.

Marlene Dietrich former 1929 Rolls Royce Phantom

Having been a part of a New York collection for so many decades, it now seemed that collectors all over the world wanted a piece of the action with telephone bids coming from Europe (including the UK), the US, and the Far East. In the end a European bid won out, and it will return to the continent for the first time since it left.

However, the headline motor for the auction did not disappoint either. This was Marlene Dietrich's 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Transformable Phaeton. The great movie star's elegant ride reached its top estimate of $524,000 - to some applause.

Memorabilia from the Golden Age of Hollywood is often irresistible to collectors. We have previously sold the autographs of the likes of Ingrid Bergman and Bette Davis, and now have this signed photograph of Hollywood couple Bebe Daniels & Ben Lyon for sale.

Recent and related articles

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·Steve McQueen classic Harley motorcycle - 'very rare' - sells at Auctions America | 31 December 2011

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Images: Bonhams