Meet the Specialist

Rupert Banner


What do you do at Bonhams?

I'm Group Motoring Director, based in New York. This means I source business for all of our International Sales, contribute to the global management of the business and run our New York and East Coast motoring office. I'm also an auctioneer and will be taking my place on the roster at The Amelia Island Auction on 20 May.

Where are you from and what inspired you to go into the auction world? 

I'm from Epping in the county of Essex, which is to the East of London. My father—exclusively— inspired me to go into the auction world. He took me to car auctions at all the major houses from when I was about six years old. It was always an environment that fascinated me. As I turned 15, I started helping Malcolm Barber at auctions, and ultimately crossed the barrier to full employment in the auction world when I was 19.

Lot 146. 1935 GODSAL SPORTS TOURER, Coachwork by Corsica. Estimate: $750,000 - 950,000

Lot 146. 1935 GODSAL SPORTS TOURER, Coachwork by Corsica. Estimate: $750,000 - 950,000

Lot 146. 1935 GODSAL SPORTS TOURER, Coachwork by Corsica. Estimate: $750,000 - 950,000

What was your first job? 

Well, technically I was an accountant’s intern for 2 weeks… which was terribly dull and the only time I’ve ever watched the clock for the day to end. Frankly it was so dull, I watched the clock for lunch too!

 What has changed in the business?

Everything and nothing! When I started it was about getting a good crowd of collectors and traders into a room, putting interesting cars in front of them at interesting prices and finding the best home for them and at the same time delivering the best price for the seller. That bit hasn’t really changed. The difference is the broadness of the market. Today the reach of the auction house is vast, and wherever a sale may be held, it can be consigned to and participated in from all over. The internet has also brought a community closer together, so that you can research histories and connect people so much faster.

Lot 144. Offered from the Clem and Mary Lange Collection, 1934 BUGATTI TYPE 57 CABRIOLET, Coachwork by Franay. Estimate: $800,000 - 1,000,000

Lot 144. Offered from the Clem and Mary Lange Collection, 1934 BUGATTI TYPE 57 CABRIOLET, Coachwork by Franay. Estimate: $800,000 - 1,000,000

Lot 144. Offered from the Clem and Mary Lange Collection, 1934 BUGATTI TYPE 57 CABRIOLET, Coachwork by Franay. Estimate: $800,000 - 1,000,000

What is your strength as a specialist?

Generally pre-war cars; I have more of an affinity for them, and usually the older the better. I have a real soft spot for pre-war supercharged, but also all sorts of things from early Land Rovers to Bugattis, even an F40 Ferrari, you name it! The closer you get to the cars, and particularly when you meet people who are passionate about a particular make or model, it really becomes infectious and you find your interest in a make or model develop.

What’s exciting you about your next sale?

The Amelia Island Auction on 20 May has a remarkable array of the finest sporting Brass-era cars that is as good as anyone will ever see together. It’s well worth a look: even though many are a century old, they’re neither slow, nor as cumbersome as one might expect from motor cars their age.

The most exciting car that we have coming up, is also something of an old friend. On behalf of the Estate of Howard Fafard, we’re selling a 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500/540K Spezial Roadster. Its ‘special’ because it was a one-off order, with many unique details even for these rare cars. It’s also special to me as I found it bricked up in a garage in Sweden in 2014, and went on to sell it to Mr. Fafard and the proceeds went to benefit two national Swedish charities for Cancer and Alzheimer’s research. It was great to think of the good that a sale could do, and also our part in this.

Lot 160. 1934 MERCEDES-BENZ 500/540K (FACTORY UPGRADE) SPEZIAL ROADSTER. Estimate: $4,500,000 - 5,000,000

Lot 160. 1934 MERCEDES-BENZ 500/540K (FACTORY UPGRADE) SPEZIAL ROADSTER. Estimate: $4,500,000 - 5,000,000

Lot 160. 1934 MERCEDES-BENZ 500/540K (FACTORY UPGRADE) SPEZIAL ROADSTER. Estimate: $4,500,000 - 5,000,000

Name one of your triumphs.

I’ve been doing this quite a while and really am a true enthusiast, so the concept of triumph is broad, and I will name two, rather than one. Nearly 20 years ago, I successfully handled the sale of a D-Type which had been split up along its history – this seems odd, but genuinely because of how the tub [cockpit section] and the sub frame are built, it was quite possible for them to get separated. Selling one ‘half’ to the owner of the other ‘half’ and so ensuring that a car could perpetuate as a single proper entity was very rewarding.

I also took great pleasure in selling a totally original 1928 Mercedes-Benz Typ S with English coachwork by Cadogan from the family that had owned it from new. It was something I never expected them to part with, even though I’d known of it for a while. Bringing it to a public sale and selling it for a 1m more than its low estimate was particularly rewarding also.

What was your first car?

A 1962 Morris Mini Minor – aka a 'Mini' – a wonderful machine, with a large bus-like steering wheel and accelerator pedal the size of a postage stamp. I used to hare around the country lanes of Essex, dreaming that I was escaping Turin, having carried out The Italian Job!

Rupert Banner is an Auctioneer and Group Motoring Director of Motor Cars based in New York. He can be reached at rupert.banner@bonhams.com