Hard to hang out with everyday, but they do look good. Around a hundred collection motorcycles and two-wheelers are on display on Friday and Saturday morning under the vaults of the Galerie de Chartres (Eure-et-Loir), before the auction which begins at 2 p.m. on Saturday 18 September.
Several collectors have deposited “exceptional” pieces, according to Me Elsa Gody-Baubau, auctioneer. Among them, a Vincent Black Shadow from 1950, with its suspended saddle and matt black paint. This motorcycle is estimated at 45,000 euros. “It is extremely rare in France”, assures Julien Galoin, the consultant who appraised the catalog.
Vincent is an emblematic English brand, in particular because it is the first manufacturer to have exceeded 200 km / h in the 1940s. French star Florent Pagny relaunched it with the Norman industrialist Godet Motorcycles.
A factory in Montrouge until 1957
Another highlight of the sale, a René Gillet from 1926 estimated at 12,000 euros. These solid machines, adopted by the police and the army, circulated a lot between the two wars, a blessed time for the cycle industry in France since 600 manufacturers competed for the market. It was before the arrival of the Americans and especially the Japanese in the 60s and 70s.
Small funny detail, René Gillet (1877-1944) studied in Chartres until the age of 14, before entering an apprenticeship as a locksmith, then embarking on the manufacture of motorcycles in 1898 in Paris. The factory lasted until 1957 in Montrouge.
The sale should attract enthusiasts. “The niche of the sale of motorcycles at auction is opening up and developing. Until now, the market was rather reserved for exchanges between connoisseurs ”, assures Julien Galoin.
In 2019, during the first edition, 70 motorcycles were dispersed, including a more recent René Gillet which had exceeded 18,000 euros. Small motorcycles estimated at 1,000 euros had tripled the starting bet.
For your viewing pleasure, you can admire these motorcycles for free at the Galerie de Chartres this Friday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to noon. The sale will begin on site on Saturday at 2 p.m.
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