BLENHEIM, ON.- Classic car fever swept over Georgia this past weekend as RM Auctions presented the renowned Milton Robson Collection, posting $9.2 million in sales and setting a string of new auction records.

Held at the Robson Estate in Gainesville, GA, the single-day event presented 55 vehicles and a select range of memorabilia before a standing-room only crowd, with bidders hailing from across the continent and as far away as England and Brazil. Bidders in the room were joined by those on the phone and via the Internet, leading to fierce and spirited bidding.

Top honors went to a coveted 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge Ram Air IV Convertible, one of only five built and the only Starlight Black example, which sparked a lively bidding war, achieving an impressive $682,000 to set a new auction record. Also garnering significant attention was a 1960 Chrysler 300F Four-Speed Convertible, the only factory four-speed, 400hp convertible in existence, which realized a final sales price of $437,250 to also earn its place in the record books. Both sales generated enthusiastic applause from the crowd.

“We were honored to present Milton Robson’s collection and very pleased with the results. Well-known by enthusiasts, the offering attracted lots of pre-sale interest which translated into strong prices, including a number of new records and numerous lots exceeding expectations,” says Rob Myers, Chairman and Founder, RM Auctions.

“For many, the sale was viewed as a test of the market, particularly for muscle cars. The results speak for themselves and not only reflect the outstanding quality and condition of the collection, but also illustrate that great cars – including those with superb restorations and solid documentation – continue to attract great prices at auction.”

Among the long list of other record-setting lots were:

• A top-of-the-line 1957 Desoto Adventurer Convertible, which provided a strong start to the auction, selling for $341,000;
• An outstanding 1970 Shelby GT500 Four-Speed Convertible, which exceeded its pre-sale estimate reaching $368,500;
• A rare 1957 Chevrolet Corvette Factory Airbox Convertible, one of just 43 examples built, bringing $374,000;
• A desirable 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Fuel-Injected Convertible for $209,000; and
• A 1954 Mercury Monterey Convertible which realized $118,250.

“It has been a wonderful experience and a fun weekend. We welcomed an excellent crowd and I am very pleased with the results,” said Milton Robson following the sale. “RM did a wonderful job and made the process of selling my collection not only easy but enjoyable. The marketing and advertising efforts they put forth in promoting my cars were above and beyond my expectations.”

The Milton Robson sale rounded out a successful 2010 for RM Auctions, which included a string of single-vendor sales, cementing the company’s reputation as the specialists for private and estate collections auctions. RM will kick off its 2011 calendar January 20-21 with the return of its annual Phoenix, Arizona sale including the themed ‘British Are Back’ evening sale on Thursday, January 20.