The countdown to Artcurial's October Aeronautics auction has begun, with the September 10 deadline for consignments now past.
The event is shaping up to be a real treat for those investing in aviation collectibles, with the sale set to boast over 200 years of aviation pieces in the form of dashboard instruments, books, manuscripts, comics, posters, watches, toys and other aeronautic memorabilia.
The sale is being held in part to celebrate the maiden voyage of the famous Mirage III supersonic jet. Designed in Frances in the late 1950s, the jet remains a prominent part of numerous air forces, even today.
And with the first flight taking place in October 1960, next month's sale will celebrate the aircraft's 40th anniversary.
 A Mirage III jet - October's auction celebrates it's 40th birthday |
With balloons and supersonic jets thought to be the main focus of the sale, it could prove to be the highlight of the year for aviation collectors and investors alike.
The public auction is scheduled for a 10am start on Friday October 29 and is to be held in Paris.
However, for those looking for something closer to home, Dominic Winter's auction of rare books on the subjects of "Aviation, Motoring & other Transport" may offer some rare investment grade pieces.
The sale takes place on Thursday November 11, with a start time of 11am and based on previous years, it would be advisable not to miss it.
In May 2010, a previous sale of aviation collectibles at Dominic Winter threw up some impressive sales results. A number of pieces from aeronautical engineer Reginald Joseph Mitchell CBE proved highly popular at the sale.
A hallmarked silver model of his famous Supermarine Spitfire Mk1 came up for sale, raised on a triangular support which was mounted on a marble base. The piece carried an estimated price of £600-800 ($920-1,230) yet sold for £4,400 ($6,760).
But it was the three lots which related to the famous Schneider trophy which raised the most eyebrows.
 The Schneider Trophy - Brought over 3 times its estimate |
Of the three, the top lot was a silver plated miniature edition of the Schneider Trophy which had been mounted on an ebonised plinth and featured nine silver plaques for recording each of the trophy winners, the world speed record holder and the Royal Air Force High Speed Flight members.
The piece carried an estimated price of £4,000 - 6,000 ($6,140 - $9,210). This was promptly smashed by a final sale price of £27,000 ($41,500).
With the popularity of this previous auction and its stunning prices in mind, the next sale of aviation pieces in November could prove to be just as popular amongst collectors of books and aviation memorabilia alike.
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