Aston Martin Bertone Jet 2+2 tops inaugural Dore & Rees Wilton Legends auction

The inaugural Dore & Rees auction at Wilton Legends proved a fitting finale to a memorable weekend at Wilton House, with the unique Aston Martin Bertone Jet 2+2 leading the sale at £297,440 including premium.

Held on Sunday as part of the three-day Wilton Legends programme, the sale brought together 42 collector cars spanning more than 70 years of motoring history. 21 found new owners, generating almost £1 million at hammer, while the catalogue reflected the same breadth and quality that characterised the wider event.

The headline result came from the one-off 2013 Aston Martin Bertone Jet 2+2. Commissioned by Aston Martin collector Barry Weir to celebrate both the marque’s centenary and its long-standing association with Bertone, the Rapide-based shooting brake was unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. Intended to be the first of a limited production run, Bertone’s closure in 2014 ensured it remained a unique creation and the final project completed by the legendary Italian design house.

Modern performance cars attracted strong interest throughout the afternoon. A 2014 Ferrari 458 Spider sold for £145,860 including premium, while a 2009 Ferrari F430 Spider achieved £89,232. Jaguar enthusiasts were equally well served, with a 1966 D-Type recreation realising £80,080 and a Series III V12 E-Type Roadster selling for £64,064.

One of the more memorable moments came when the cherished registration ‘JET 2’ sold for £100,000. Fittingly, the registration had previously been assigned to the Bertone Aston Martin, providing an unusual link between two of the day’s headline results.

Automobilia and fine jewellery auctions

The Fine Automobilia sale on Saturday offered a diverse selection of motoring memorabilia, literature, artwork and collectables, with strong interest shown in several standout lots. Leading the sale was René Lalique’s iconic Vitesse glass mascot, which sold for £3400 at hammer, closely followed by the elegant ‘Côte d’Azur Pullman Express’ trophy glass at £3000. Scale models also proved popular, with a remarkable one-third-scale Terzo Dalia Ferrari model achieving £1900 and a 1:8 Pocher Ferrari F40 selling for £850.

Collectors competed for a broad range of automobilia spanning the history of the motor car, with a 1920s J. Gurney Nutting motorshow catalogue making £440, while original Monaco Grand Prix posters, Ferrari sales brochures, racing photographs and period artwork all found enthusiastic buyers.

Away from the collector cars, Dore & Rees’ Fine Jewellery, Watches & Opulent Objects sale demonstrated the breadth of the firm’s specialist departments. The auction was led by a late 17th-century Henry Jones of London ebonised pearwood longcase clock, which sold for £26,000 at hammer, while a rare pair of Dutch ivory stock flasks achieved £18,000. Fine art also featured strongly, with a portrait by Thomas Gainsborough realising £11,000 and works by Margaret Dovaston and Alexander Nasmyth attracting competitive bidding.

Collectors of unusual and historic objects were equally well catered for, with a selection of rhinoceros horn walking sticks and canes proving particularly popular, led by a late 19th-century example at £7000, while a rare early 20th-century ‘Harry Houdini’ suitcase sold for £3400. Jewellery and watches also performed steadily throughout the sale, with an 18-carat gold and diamond bracelet by Cartier achieving £4800 and an emerald and diamond ring realising £2800, underlining the diverse appeal of the inaugural Wilton House auction weekend.

The Dore & Rees auction formed one part of an inaugural Wilton Legends that combined exceptional collector cars with conversations featuring some of the biggest names in motoring, live demonstrations of traditional craftsmanship, literary discussions, specialist exhibitions and displays celebrating automotive history. Set against the backdrop of Wilton House, the auction added another dimension to a weekend designed to celebrate not simply great cars, but the stories, people and artistry behind them.

Following a successful debut at Wilton Legends, Dore & Rees will return to Castle Combe for its Autumn Classic Auction on 12 September, while planning is already underway for the second Wilton Legends, which will take place at Wilton House from 18-20 June 2027.