McQueen auction raises over £1.5 million

[Bob]

Over £1.5 million was spent at the auction of “Great Escape” star Steve McQueen’s property.

The biggest sale was $276,000 (around £150,000) for a 1937 Crocker "Hemi-head" V-Twin motorcycle. Of the other bikes from his collection, McQueen's 1934 Indian Sport Scout motorbike went for £85,000 and his 1920 Indian Powerplus Daytona racing bike sold for £78,500.

Of the other items on sale, a pair of sunglasses BELIEVED to have been worn in ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’ went for £36,000

Auctioneer Mark Osborne added: "I believe that I literally could have sold tickets for just the shortest glimpse of the room where we catalogued this property. If McQueen drove it, rode it or wore it, it was cool."

[NordieBoy]

"Great Escape"?
"On Any Sunday"

[placidfemme]

Was the auction for charity?

[Bob]

"Great Escape"?
"On Any Sunday"

I'll add that one to the list! But in 'Great Escape' he manages to chase HIMSELF! Didn't do that in 'On Any Sunday'


(For the two people on Earth that do not know - Steve McQueen, quite aside from being a national standard dirt track racer (hence the wonderful "On Any Sunday") loved riding bikes so much that in addition to riding the bike as his character trying to escape, he also played the part of at least one of the German bikers chasing him!)

[Bob]

Was the auction for charity?

I don't know to be honest - all I know is that his wife has resisted selling off any of his stuff since his death. No idea what made her change her mind, but I suppose time takes its' toll on all of us and she probably thought it would be better for his things to go to people that would cherish them.

[pritch]

I don't know to be honest - all I know is that his wife has resisted selling off any of his stuff since his death.

Not totally. There was an big auction of his bike collection way back maybe 83/84. Which perhaps lead to some unrealistic expectations of people who had similar bikes to sell but that hadn't belonged to McQueen...