Nearly 100 of the 350 salegoers who attended the latest Mathewsons auction at their Thornton-Le-Dale ‘Roxby Garage’ premises registered to bid for the 72 vehicular lots on offer. Achieved prices were headed by a well presented Bedford ‘K Type’ truck, for which a less than lower estimate £9245 including premium was accepted, and a 1972 Austin/Morris era Minor Van in black sold for £7525, strong money. Whilst another Morris Minor Van of 1971 vintage in ‘AA yellow’ made a very respectable £6558.

Among earlier stock to change hands, a 1933 Austin 12/6 Saloon cost £7095, a 1935 Ruby Saloon from the same manufacturer £4515, a 1040 Standard Flying 8 Tourer £3978 and a 1946 Morris 10M Saloon £2956. Also noteworthy were the performances of a 1959 Ford Zephyr Mk2 at £3492 and a 1968 Riley Kestrel Mk2 1300 fwd at £3333.

According to principal Derek Mathewson, who conducted the auction, his company’s third, buyers were thin on the ground this time and the sale proved to be harder work than the previous two. Although when vehicles did sell, he said, many of them did so for above their reserves with  some fetching good money. In future, he told us, the automobilia will be auctioned earlier than 1pm so that the afternoon session for the cars would not be delayed.
Depending on the level of interest from potential vendors, the North Yorkshire firm will either stage their next auction in Christmas week or during the second week in January next year, with a total of four sales planned for 2012.