Rare 1934 Streamline car sells for £62,000

A "highly rare" 1934 Crossley Streamline car that was hidden in a barn for 40 years has sold for £62,000.

It was one of seven dust-covered vintage cars discovered in the barn in south Cambridgeshire, near Royston. Altogether, they raised £110,000 at auction.

The Streamline was designed by Sir Denniston Burney, who also helped design the R100 airship, which made its maiden flight from East Yorkshire to the Cardington hangars near Bedford.

"This car has attracted worldwide interest for sheer rarity value," said Jonathan Humbert, from Humbert & Ellis, based in Northamptonshire.

Bids opened at £500, but rapidly rose with more than 100 bids from eight international buyers.

The car is believed to be one of only two such vehicles known to exist, with the other owned by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, according to the auction house.

A 1925 Alcyon Cyclecar, which was designed to bridge the gap between motorcycles and full-sized cars, made £19,780 at auction.

Alcyon was a French firm founded in 1902 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, primarily known for manufacturing bicycles and motorcycles before it entered the car market.

A rare 1932 Alvis 12/50 with a dickey seat, or rumble seat, designed to be folded down when not in use, made £12,650.

The auction house said only 642 units were produced by the British company, between 1931 and 1932, and it was believed there were about 45 in existence.

Another rare vehicle - a Françon Voiturette Cyclecar dating from about 1924 - sold for £14,000.

Surviving examples are extremely rare, though a 1920 chassis is known to have been exhibited at the Auto & Technik Museum Sinsheim in Germany, added the auction house.

Humbert, near Daventry, said: "It just goes to show the perennial value people put in rare and historic cars."

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