About this Item
BOX packed with padding! Pages: not written on, clean, bright, odor free, fine edges. Cover: small light bumping at part of back side edge, a few tiny dings to parts of edges. See Photos. Ships from California. Ships same or next day! ABOUT: The 2024 hardcover auction catalog The Junkyard: The Rudi Klein Collection documents one of RM Sotheby?s most unusual and widely discussed sales?an on?site dispersal of Rudi Klein?s decades?old Los Angeles scrapyard containing rare European cars, engines, parts, and automobilia.
Overview of the Auction & Catalog
The catalog accompanies RM Sotheby?s October 26?28, 2024 Los Angeles auction of the Rudi Klein Collection, a legendary hoard of European car parts, damaged vehicles, and several extremely valuable classics. The sale was staged directly at Klein?s long?hidden scrapyard?an environment described as a ?movie?set?quality treasure trove? of dusty, sun?baked, and often rusted components accumulated since the late 1960s.
The hardcover catalog presents over 550 lots, including:
Complete engines (Porsche, Ferrari, Mercedes?Benz)
Transmissions, carburetors, fuel?injection systems
Body panels and interior components
Rare automobilia and documentation
A selection of intact or restorable collector cars offered in the live sale
The online portion included more than 350 lots of parts, while the live auction featured the most desirable vehicles and high?value components.
Key Themes of the Catalog
1. A lifetime hoard revealed
Klein, a German immigrant and founder of Porsche Foreign Auto (1967), quietly amassed this collection over decades. The catalog reflects the eclectic, often chaotic nature of the yard?engines stacked in rows, rare panels buried under dust, and historically important cars stored in improvised shelters.
2. High?value highlights among ?junk?
Despite the scrapyard setting, the catalog documents several world?class automobiles, including:
1956 Mercedes?Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing ? sold for $9,355,000, a new model record.
1935 Mercedes?Benz 500 K ?Caracciola? Special Coupe ? $4,130,000.
1939 Horch 855 Special Roadster ? $3,305,000.
Multiple Lamborghini Miuras, Iso Grifo A3/L Spider Prototype, and rare Porsche 356 variants.
3. Parts and components as major content
The catalog?s bulk consists of parts lots?engines, gearboxes, panels, and accessories?many selling between a few hundred and a few thousand dollars. Examples include Porsche 928 engines, Ferrari 275 GTB engine blocks, Mercedes?Benz 300 SL panels, and Bosch fuel?injection systems.
Auction Results Context
The sale achieved $29.6 million, nearly doubling the $17 million low estimate, with 100% of lots sold and bidders from 39 countries. The median lot price was only $6,440, reflecting the dominance of parts, while the average was $152,096, driven by the top-tier cars.
Seller Inventory # ABE-1778005823745
Contact seller
Report this item
