SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014 This file photo in makeshift shelters at the Gaillard property in the western French town Artcurial Motorcars managing director Matthieu Lamoure and expert Pierre Novikov of Echire, shows a collection of 60 antique cars, dating from the ‘30s to the ‘70s, including checking a model among a collection of 60 antique cars. Bugatti, Hispano-Suiza, Delahaye, Maserati and Ferrari models. — AFP photos Forgotten treasure of rare cars found in French village n a small village in western France, in who along with fast cars amassed one of makeshift shelters bared to the ele- the world’s most famous coin collections. Iments, a treasure trove of extremely rare “This is surely the last time that such a dis- cars has been discovered after lying forgot- covery will be made, anywhere in the world. ten for almost 50 years. Under a pile of What is so special here is the number of dusty old car magazines, one of only 37 cars, the range and the quality and pedi- Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spiders ever gree of the models,” said Novikoff. made valued at up to 12 million euros ($14 million) is among some 60 classic gems dis- ‘Sleeping beauties’ covered by the elite Artcurial auction But how does such a jackpot of mythical house. automobiles end up on a rural French farm, The once-in-a-lifetime discovery, left to rust for half a century? While classic announced earlier this month, was likened cars are now snapped up and extremely by Artcurial managing director Matthieu valuable, this was not the case a few Lamoure to stumbling upon the car world’s decades ago when inventor and automo- equivalent of the tomb of Egyptian pharaoh bile enthusiast Roger Baillon became one of Tutankhamun. Lamoure and senior special- the first collectors. He had a transport busi- ist Pierre Novikoff got a tip-off about the ness in the west of France where he in 1947 timeworn fleet while criss-crossing the designed and built his own car known as country earlier this year hunting for rare the Bluebird, all while raking in a fortune in pieces. the post WWII boom in the sector. On the farm-Artcurial is keeping the He bought the property in 1953 to turn exact location secret-they found a hodge- into an automobile museum, snapping up podge of makeshift structures, describing classic cars-some saved from the scrapyard- shock after shock as they realised the treas- and according to Lamoure, even bought a ures they contained. “This was somewhere Photos show a collection of 60 antique cars, dating from the ‘30s to the ‘70s, includ- little train which he planned to use to give between a metallic graveyard and a muse- ing Bugatti, Hispano-Suiza, Delahaye, Maserati and Ferrari models, some of them tours of his museum. “When the vehicles um,” said Novikoff, describing valuable cars rare, are parked on. arrived he put them away without much invaded by ivy, and in some cases corrugat- fuss, one next to the other. He restored ed iron resting directly on the cars. some and left others as they were,” said “We were overcome with emotion. Novikoff. Much of the collection was built Probably much like Lord Carrington and up between 1955 and 1965. Howard Carter, on being the first for cen- But when the 70s swung in, Baillon’s turies to enter Tutankhamun’s tomb,” said business went into decline, and he held a Lamoure. They may be rusted and weather- large sale of his car collection at the end of beaten, but the legendary names such as the decade and to car historians, that was Bugatti, Hispano-Suiza, Talbot-Lago, the end of that. Panhard-Levassor, Maserati, Ferrari, But it turned out he had clung on to Delahaye and Delage are described by many of the collection’s jewels. Now, the Artcurial as “works of art.” The rare lost “sleeping beauties” will again change California Spider-a car which features 13 hands, in an auction on February 6, 2015, times on the list of the 100 most expensive where they are expected to fetch up to 16 cars ever sold-was bought new by French million euros. actor Gerard Blain and later sold to fellow They will be displayed and sold as they actor Alain Delon. are, and Lamoure said he hopes some will Delon was photographed with American be left as such as works of art, although actresses Jane Fonda and Shirley MacLaine some buyers may choose to restore them. in the car, which historians thought to be “This is a very rare opportunity presenting lost forever. Also uncovered is an extrava- works of art unknown to the market! For gant Talbot Lago T26 Cabriolet that the Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport coupe belonged to Egypt’s last monarch King Saoutchik, caved in at the rear, I think it Farouk, an immensely rich ruler known for should be left in this condition. It is a sculp- grotesque extravagance, and avid collector ture.”— AFP.