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| RM Auctions | |
|---|---|
| Name | RM Auctions |
| Industry | Auctioneering |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Founder | Rob Myers |
| Fate | Acquired by Bonhams (2015) |
| Headquarters | Blenheim, Ontario, Canada |
| Key people | Rob Myers; Frank Myers |
| Products | Collector automobile auctions; consignment services; restoration brokerage |
RM Auctions
RM Auctions was a Canadian-based auction house specializing in collector automobiles, classic cars, concours automobiles, vintage motorcycles, and automobilia. Founded in 1976 by Rob Myers, the company expanded from regional consignments to international calendar events and cross-border sales, working with collectors, museums, dealers, private clients, and manufacturers. RM became known for marquee auctions that attracted participation from collectors associated with Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, Goodwood Festival of Speed, Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, Monterey Car Week, and Villa d'Este.
Rob Myers founded the company in 1976 in Ontario and initially focused on North American collector automobiles and restoration projects. During the 1980s and 1990s RM developed relationships with European marques such as Ferrari, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, and Alfa Romeo, expanding operations into the United States and continental Europe. In the 2000s RM aligned its calendar with major automotive events including Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, Goodwood Revival, and Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, attracting consignments from prominent collectors tied to institutions like The Petersen Automotive Museum and LeMay—America's Car Museum. Strategic growth culminated in the acquisition of RM by Bonhams in 2015, a move connected to the global auction network of Sotheby's-era partnerships and major sales trends following high-profile transactions such as those involving cars from the collections of Ralph Lauren, Mario Andretti, and estates related to Ettore Bugatti heirs.
RM conducted live auctions, online bidding, private treaty sales, and collector advisory services. Auction offerings ranged across marques and eras: pre-war Bugatti, Duesenberg, Aston Martin DBR1-era sports racers, post-war Ferrari competition cars, and iconic American classics tied to names like Ford Motor Company and General Motors personalities. RM provided transportation logistics used by clients relocating vehicles to events like Monterey Car Week and Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, consignment valuation services for estates linked to figures such as Enzo Ferrari, and restoration brokerage serving workshops that include connections to H.R. Owen and Gooding & Company specialists. RM also hosted themed auctions tied to automotive anniversaries celebrated by manufacturers like Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz.
RM achieved headline sales of rare automobiles and set records for individual marques and models. Examples include high-profile transactions of Ferrari 250 GTO-era cars, Bugatti Type 57, and Duesenberg Model J examples connected to collectors with provenance linked to estates represented by firms like Christie’s and Bonhams. RM sales often featured cars with competition histories at events such as the Mille Miglia, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Targa Florio, attracting buyers including members of collecting families like the Mansells and corporate collectors associated with Ford and Chrysler heritage programs. Auction lots sometimes included vehicles that appeared in museums such as The Henry Ford and private collections like the Hemmings Motor News-featured garages of notable enthusiasts.
RM maintained headquarters in Blenheim, Ontario and regional offices or auction venues aligned with major events across North America and Europe. Primary event locations included Monterey, California during Monterey Car Week, Amelia Island, Florida for spring auctions, and periodic European venues linked to Villa d'Este and Goodwood Revival. Facilities used by RM encompassed climate-controlled storage, restoration shop partnerships, and display spaces adjacent to venues such as Pebble Beach Golf Links and museum campuses like The Petersen Automotive Museum for preview exhibitions. RM also operated outposts near auction centers in New York City, London, and Los Angeles for client services and consignment evaluation.
Initially privately held by founder Rob Myers and family management, RM operated as a specialist auction house with an executive team responsible for sales, cataloguing, client relations, and logistics. The company engaged with international auction networks and strategic partners, culminating in acquisition by Bonhams in 2015, integrating RM's classic car capabilities into a broader fine art and collectibles auctioneer with ties to institutions such as Sotheby's-era peers and global dealerships. Post-acquisition, operational oversight intersected with leadership experienced in luxury auction markets, cross-border compliance, and collector services involving legacy clients tied to high-net-worth families and corporate collectors.
RM marketed auctions through glossy catalogs, collector-focused publications, and digital platforms aligned with automotive media outlets such as Hemmings Motor News, Classic & Sports Car, Autoweek, and Motor Trend Classic-oriented channels. Catalogs often included detailed provenance researched with historians linked to archives like National Motor Museum, Beaulieu and marque registries such as the Ferrari Classiche program. RM also produced event promotions and partnered with concours organizations including Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and Goodwood Festival of Speed for co-branded marketing, and engaged specialist journalists and broadcasters associated with Top Gear-adjacent talent and veteran motoring writers.
RM faced disputes common to high-value auction houses including provenance controversies, buyer-seller fee disputes, and litigation over title and import-export compliance involving customs authorities like United States Customs and Border Protection and European counterparts. Instances involved contested attributions for cars with claimed competition histories at events such as the Mille Miglia and alleged discrepancies in restoration records maintained by workshops associated with known restorers. Legal matters occasionally required resolution through arbitration or courts familiar with art and collectibles cases, including jurisdictions in Ontario, California, and England and Wales.
Category:Automobile auctions Category:Canadian companies established in 1976