16 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY august 15-21, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com Car Week Even in a room bidding seriously on million-dollar cars, auctioneers provide a form of entertainment. By Dave Faries Taking the Stand It’s Saturday, the final round of Mecum Auctions’ visit to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Bidding on a 1964 Pontiac GTO convertible has stalled at $96,000. Auctioneer Jimmy Landis pauses his patter and fixes his eyes on a prospective buyer in the crowd. “You want to do 98?” he asks. “I would do 98 if I was you.” Seconds later the reserve comes off and the car sells. Moments of direct communication are part of his style. When one Harrisburg bidder turns to consult a friend as the figure for a car approaches $40,000, Landis calls out to the crowd: “Who thinks he should give 40?” As the audience roars in approval, the auctioneer nods toward the bidder. “You asked for advice, we gave it to you,” he says from the stand. Mecum is one of five auction houses that set up on the Monterey Peninsula during Car Week. And the figures registered here are more impressive. Last year, between Bonhams, Gooding & Company, RM Sotheby’s, Broad Arrow and Mecum, 150 cars broke the $1 million mark, with six broaching $5 million. The star lot was a 1967 Ferrari 412P Berlinetta, which hammered at Bonhams in Carmel Valley for $30.2 million. In 2018, RM Sotheby’s, which A 1931 Stutz convertible on the auction block during Bonhams 2022 event at The Quail. The car sold for $1.4 million. Daniel Dreifuss
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