A recent discovery in an old barn on an estate in western France revealed a treasure trove of 60 vintage cars that have been hidden away for decades, ranging from a classic Bugatti 57 Ventoux to a Talbot Lago T26 Cabriolet Saoutchik once owned by royalty.
The Baillon estate was once home to Roger Baillon, a haulier with a passion for cars. He went bankrupt in 1978 after collecting for 30 years and after selling half of his prized collection, the remaining cars were left to rot in the barn. The cars were discovered by a group of automotive specialists, who were given a tip off from a Baillon family friend and some unusual specimens were unveiled under the dust.
A Hispano Suiza H6B Cabriolet Millon-Guiet, a Packard Super Eight Convertible and a Delahaye Type 43 Coupe Chauffeur were among the discoveries, and the oldest find was a 1912 Renault four cylinder. A total of 40 out of the 60 cars were unsuitable to make the auction on February 6 at the French auction house of Artcurial and will likely be sold by the family for spares. The most exciting and best-kept car was luckily stored in a garage and the one-of-37-ever-made Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spider thankfully came to no harm after spending tens of years buried under piles of old magazines.
The treasures that have been uncovered from the entwining undergrowth are stunning and some were owned by famous actors including Alain Delon, who was photographed at the wheel of the Ferrari California with the likes of Jane Fonda and Shirley Maclaine.
The Ferrari California alone is expected to attract bids of up to €12 million and the history of the cars, as well as their current state, will play a factor in the price that they attract when they go under the hammer during the Retromobile Salon Classic Car event in Paris on the 6th of February.
Discovering a major find like this in a derelict old barn in the rural countryside in deepest France is not only exciting but also important, as classic cars are among the most prestigious vehicles in the world and unearthing 60 vintage models is a valuable discovery to the industry.
Back in 2011, Carmony noted that classic cars were becoming a popular investment, with many collectors craving their unique designs and the prestigious notoriety of owning a vintage ride. FT.com also reported since then that vintage car prices rose by 395 percent since 2012, beating gold coins and stamps, highlighting that Classic cars can be one of the most lucrative and robust investments around, providing the right marque and model is chosen.
