The dust may have settled quickly after the January 2023 auction extravaganza in Florida and Arizona, but it wasn’t that way for very long. During the first week of March, all eyes were on the Sunshine State once again, where Amelia Island was transformed from a North Florida coastal resort oasis into a cornucopia of all things automotive for the continuation of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. As it has for decades, though, the week began with a host of sales. The first one out of the gate was Bonhams’ auction, held on the sprawling grounds of the Fernandina Beach Golf Course on March 2.
Unlike its 2022 sale, Bonhams’ ’23 auction was a condensed affair; its one-day catalog featured just six automotive-related lots as a prelude to the 103 vehicular lots assembled for on-site inspection by bidders and spectators. Preview hours were offered a day prior to the sale. Unsurprisingly, once the gavel began to hammer home lots, a standing-room-only crowd had gathered.
Vintage European sports cars typically garner the most attention from bidders at this event, and 2023 was no exception. Taking the number one position on the sales ladder was a 1966 Ferrari 500 Superfast Series 2 — discussed in more detail within this report — that achieved $1,930,000 (all listed sale prices include a buyer’s
