Week in Review : MISCELLANY : Museum’s Auto Collection Sold
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A world famous collection of historic cars is leaving Orange County.
With no advance notice, Briggs Cunningham last week sold his 71-piece collection of historic automobiles and permanently closed his automotive museum at 250 E. Baker St., Costa Mesa.
“It was a very sad day for me, but I like to see (the collection) in a good place and kept together. I like to see somebody I know get it who’s not going to sell it.”
Cunningham, 79, is an heir to the Swift meatpacking and Procter & Gamble fortunes. He began collecting cars in 1929.
The buyer is Miles C. Collier, a collector who lives in Palm Beach, Fla. The sale price was not disclosed. A joint press release issued after the sale stated that the cars would be moved to an automotive museum that Collier is building in Naples, Fla.
Included in the collection is a 1927 Bugatti Royale, only one of six built. One recently sold for more than $8 million.
Briggs Cunningham auto museum in Costa Mesa closed when the collection sold to a buyer in Florida.
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