Ex-Peter Ustinov Aston sells for £1.5m

An Aston Martin that was once owned by actor, playwright and diplomat Peter Ustinov, sold for £1,513,500 at auction over the weekend.

But the left-hand drive 1962 DB4 Series IV Vantage convertible wasn’t the top-selling car at Bonhams’ Aston Martin Works sale on 9 May.

That accolade went to a 1966 Aston Martin DB5 convertible in ‘Vantage’ specification, which made £1,524,700.

Other sale highlights included the most famous of all ‘James Bond’ Aston Martins, a 1964 Aston Martin DB5 4.2-Litre Sports Saloon, which fetched £595,100.

While a 1968 Aston Martin DB6 ‘Mark 1’ Volante made £561,500; and the 1960 Aston Martin DB4 ‘Series 1’ Sports Saloon selling for £494,300.

It was the largest auction in Bonhams’ 16-year history at Aston Martin Works, featuring more than 50 motor cars and 170 lots of automobilia. Total car sales came to £10.3m.

Tim Schofield, Bonhams UK head of motor cars, said the sale demonstrated an appetite  for exceptional examples, even for models that had previously been regarded unfashionable.

Schofield said, ‘The result we achieved for a Virage Coupe illustrated this with £74,300 realised for the stunning 1990 model.’

Barn find and project cars continued to demonstrate their popularity, with the 1958 Aston Martin DB Mark III Sports Saloon selling at twice top estimate, achieving £104,540.

And a 1959 Aston Martin DB Mark III Sports Saloon soaring above top estimate, selling for £115,740.