An ex-works 1930 Alfa Romeo 6C 1500/1750 Grand Sport will provide the highlight of Bonhams' Grand Palais Paris auction on February 5.
 The 6C is one of the rarest pre-war Alfa Romeos |
The pristine Alfa Romeo has a fascinating history, having been raced by an exiled Russian imperial guardsman. It is valued at $1.4m-1.8m.
Boris Ivanowski was exiled to Paris following the Russian revolution, having served as an officer of the Russian imperial guard. Establishing a name for himself on the 1920s racing circuit, he soon become a works driver for the British Alfa Romeo team Stiles.
He was class winner in the Brooklands Double Twelve, and competed in several major races behind the wheel of the Alfa Romeo 6C.
"This is a pristine and complete Alfa Romeo of the 1930s with a glorious race history, once driven by the world's most famous Russian racer. Sympathetically preserved and carefully restored, it's rare to find such an original Alfa," said Bonhams' Philip Kantor, head of continental European motoring.
The sale will be led by Alfa Romeo, with a 1931 6C 1750 supercharged Gran Sport Spider also set to star. Owned by Italian F1 driver Guiseppe Campari, it is valued at $2.1m-2.7m.
Campari established a reputation as a promising race driver, winning the 1924 French Grand Prix driving an Alfa Romeo P2. He went on to record later wins in the Coppa Acerbo, Mille Miglia and Italian Grand Prix. Tragically, he was killed in the 1933 Italian Grand Prix, following a move to Maserati.
The 6C was only in Campari's possession for a matter of months, but his legacy is likely to boost bids on sale day. Expert Michael Frostick described the car in his 1974 book, Alfa Romeo Milano, as "among the finest ever made both from the point of view of engineering and driver satisfaction".
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