Speedshop - A Hoard of Fords
The largest private blue oval collection comes to auction
Bonhams has recently announced that it has been tasked with dispersing what is believed to be the world’s largest privately owned collection of Ford cars in the world. The remarkable ‘Ford hoard’ was accumulated by Dutchman Piet den Hartogh, who took a shine to the blue oval as a child after his father began using the marque’s trucks in the family haulage business.
In attempting to find an example of every Ford model ever made, Hartogh bought everything from a 1903 Model A to Bs, Cs, delivery vans, pick-up trucks, hearses and evenan Egyptian taxi. He also acquired more than 35 Model Ts in various guises, as well as numerous ‘speedster’ style cars, buses, a whisky truck and a Canadian police snowmobile.
In 1997 he opened a museum at Hillegom, outside Amsterdam, and put the collection on public display – but has now decided to part with the whole lot in what will be an entirely ‘no reserve’ auction that is set to last a full day. It will be staged on site at the Den Hartogh museum on June 23.
In addition to the Ford offerings, the collection also includes 19 Lincoln cars dating from 1923-1947, a DAF military truck and 50 motorcycles, among them BMW, Moto Guzzi, Ariel and Triumph models.
“The Den Hartogh collection is legendary throughout Europe, and has been a pilgrimage for Ford aficionados for many years,” said Bonhams group motoring boss Rupert Banner.
“Every vehicle must be sold and each lot is offered without reserve, meaning that both Ford enthusiasts and the wider collecting community will be able to bid for their own piece of the marque’s history.”