Academy of Art University’s Auto Museum Cars To Be Auctioned
A majority of the automobile collection from the San Francisco Academy of Art University will go under the gavel at auction next month (February 15, 2025). More than 100 cars will be offered with no reserve (minimum bid) by Broad Arrow Auctions at the Academy of Art’s headquarters in downtown San Francisco, a renovated former car dealership.
The University Collection was originally curated by Dr. Richard Alan Stephens and is currently curated by his daughter, Dr. Elisa Stephens. The collection’s mission is to preserve an integral piece of international automotive history and also provide Academy students unique art and design perspectives. The goal of the auction is to provide funding to modernize and add to the collection, hence many of the vehicles available are pre-WWII models. Overall, the collection has a variety of American, British and European models.
Some of the highlights of historic vehicles that will be offered include:
- 1927 Packard
- 1934 Chrysler Airflow
- 1941 Buick Roadmaster
- 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing
- 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Split-Window
- 1970 Morris Mini Cooper
- 1982 Rolls-Royce Corniche
- 1992 Lincoln Town Car Limousine
- 2000 Ford Mustang GT
The collection has some very unique vehicles as well, such as a three-wheel 1957 BMW Isetta, a 1954 Kaiser-Darrin sports car and a 1964 Amphicar, designed to traverse both land and sea. A variety of the pre-war models are from car companies that no longer exist.
Many of the cars being offered for auction have intriguing personal stories, including long periods of ownership under exceptional care, meticulous restorations, low mileage and prestigious concours medals. They also each represent a significant piece of automotive history
A preview ($10 admission) of the collection will be available at 1849 Washington St., San Francisco, CA 94109 on Thursday and Friday, February 13 and 14, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. local time. The preview continues Saturday morning (February 15) from 9 a.m. to noon, at which point the auction will begin. Bidder registration is $150 while telephone, absentee and internet bidding is complimentary. Additional information on the auction is available at info@broadarrowauctions.com.
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