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Tony Singer’s Automobilia shared the Tuesday opening spot
for mid-week activities of Monterey’s 2007 Le Cirque du
Automobil with the new Carmel by the Sea Concours. In
French, “cirque” also implies an element of chaos; appropriate,
when you consider the week to follow!
The Pre-Historic Races at Laguna Seca the previous
weekend and the new concours were certainly crowd boosters,
helping Automobilia record the best crowd in its 5-year
history. For the first time, Singer was in the awkward, but
enviable, position of having to turn away vendors. He says a
new venue is possible but it’s hard to find something that
equals the Embassy Suites location for parking and access
to the racing crowd.
I circled the large ballroom for a quick look before the
doors opened to the public. Logan Gray, certainly one of the
oldest Internet auto book vendors, and Dale LaFollette with
his wonderful collection of silver prints were there, as was
Ben Horton, the English book finder, whose portable library
was just across the aisle.
A new face at Automobilia, Amy Markle of Green
Mountain Books was quite knowledgeable and proved to be
very helpful to both lookers and buyers. Next was a quick
chat with California sculptor Steve Posson. His knowledge
as well as his artistic style is unique.
If you’re lucky, every show has a jewel. Since I have an
abiding interest in things old and mechanical, my jewel was
a single cylinder, DeDion-Bouton motor, circa 1900.
Originally built for “…light carriages and boats,” it was part
of Manny Gorin’s Spirit of Speed collection.. I did not have
the courage to even ask the price of the little motor.
With 40-plus vendors lining the aisles and a surprisingly
well-balanced group of offering, I would have to count the
time spent at Automobilia ’07 worthwhile and, yes, fun!
For more on this article and much more grab a copy of Auto Aficionado Magazine on newsstands nationwide!
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