Most of the gleaming metal displayed in the Royal Horticulturall Halls, Coys’ traditional Christmas sale venue, had been consigned from the estate of the late ‘Jimi’ Heselden, who was a car collector on the truly grand scale.

The jewel in Heselden’s collection was the very Third Reich-looking 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K cabriolet A formerly owned by F1 Boss Bernie Ecclestone, which certainly did the business under Douglas Jamieson’s gavel, by selling for £848,500 with premium to applause, way over the pre-sale estimate. A 1965 300SL Gullwing from another source made £431,439, and a cosmetically poor 1958 300SL with hardtop from 23 years storage was taken on for £337,000.

Heselden had also acquired the DB5 originally supplied to George Harrison along the way. After a really long bidding contest, the 1964 fixed head, which close-up was not in great condition, was eventually knocked down to an American Aston Martin and Beatles fan who seemed happy enough having spent a thumping £342,500 with premium. The totally restored and concours winning 1952 DB2 was super-mint however, and magnetised more serious bidding until eventually hammered away for £125,800, £45,800 above the guide price. Similarly sharp, though freshly made by the Evante Motor Company utilising a 1968-registered  donor, was a DB4 GTZ ‘Evocation’. With Zagato-correct 93-inch wheelbase, authentic looking bodywork in GRP and Jaguar XK 3.4 engine from the Evante, the beautifully executed chassis 001 realised £95,000, £15,000 more than the estimate.

A Cord 810 Phaeton parked up front had double celeb provenance, having been owned by Jimmy Page of Yardbirds and later Led Zeppelin fame and, more recently, by businessman and TV ‘Dragon’ Duncan Bannatyne. The still stylish Gordon Buehrig penned beauty pulled again here, going to a new motor house for £78,500. Whilst a 1950 Rover 75 with three-position drophead coupé coachwork, believed to be the only survivor of three to have been bodied in this way by Tickford, raised £28,750.