In last week’s Good Find Friday, I featured a 1961 Fiat 600D Pininfarina Y concept car being sold by Bonhams Cars at their National Automobile Museum Auction on June 13th. That car was a cool little foreign oddball compared to the rest of the sale. The importance of this upcoming auction can’t be overstated: With over 110 cars spanning the most significant decades of American automobile production crossing the block in a couple of weeks, this auction represents a chance to acquire not only a piece of history, but a vehicle connected to one of the hobby’s most noteworthy and influential collectors.

To support the renovation and renewal of the museum’s physical space, The National Automobile Museum is deaccessioning 110 significant motorcars on June 13, 2026. Bonhams Cars is the exclusive partner to the museum in this opportunity, and the auction features a wide selection of cars acquired by Bill Harrah including sole survivors, limited production and one-off concepts that never made it to production. Each vehicle will be offered at no reserve, meaning all cars will sell regardless of the final high bid. The last major public auction of cars directly from the Bill Harrah collection took place in June, 1986, so this is a special opportunity indeed.

Few names loom larger in the collector car world than Bill Harrah. The Nevada casino entrepreneur spent decades assembling what became one of the largest and most diverse automobile collections ever created, eventually amassing roughly 1,400 vehicles spanning the earliest days of motoring through the classic and postwar eras.

After Harrah’s death in 1978, much of the collection was dispersed through a series of sales, but a core group of 175 vehicles was preserved and became the foundation of the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada. Today, the museum, officially known as the National Automobile Museum, continues to showcase many of the automobiles, artifacts, and archival materials that made the Harrah Collection one of the most significant automotive assemblages in history.

Last week’s Good Find Friday covered only one of the special cars crossing the block at the National Automobile Museum. The bulk of the cars are rare and interesting pre-war antiques, but the catalog also includes prototypes, hot rods, customs and record-breakers.

Any car that dates to the 19th century is a rare find in general, let alone at auction. Steam was a well-known and proven technology in the late 19th century, and as such was a natural fit for early automobiles. While simple at the time, the complexities of operating a steam-powered car whose boiler only held enough water to travel 50 miles is a tantalizing proposition today. If restored to operating condition, this early auto would easily qualify for the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. Personally, I can’t get over how cool the green and red running lights look hanging off the sides. Estimated at $70,000-$90,000.

The Duryea brothers are responsible for creating the first successful gasoline-powered American car in 1893, though that win would be contested by the Haynes Automobile Company. The Duryea brothers eventually split their operations and this cool three-wheel car was designed by Charles Duryea in Peoria, Illinois. Formerly owned by Winthrop Rockefeller, this one was acquired by Harrah in 1976. Powered by a 3-cylinder engine putting out 12 horsepower this car had a lot of power for its size. Estimated at $60,000-$70,000, it’s also eligible for the London to Brighton Run.

It’s the presentation of this beauty that caught my eye. In nicely restored Merriman Green with Red running gear, this cool little truck’s Renault-like radiator position and cowl shape stood out as unusual. I was also generally drawn to it for the Edwardian imagery it conjures — I could easily imagine one of these trundling up to the docks in New York City to await the arrival of a Cunard steamer. Though it needs some reconditioning, the car is estimated to sell for just $25,000-$30,000.

Long before you could order a car online from Amazon, you could order a car from Sears Roebuck & Company. A rebadged Henry J., the Allstate was available for purchase in their catalog from 1952 to 1953. There were only 1,546 Allstates built and I’ve never seen one in person. The badging features a charming outline of the United States and the interior features blue upholstery, a red horn knob and a white steering wheel, which I find rather patriotic. The car is estimated at just $10,000-$20,000.

And now for something completely different, this highly customized Honda Elite motor scooter features a wild set of four wheels up front and a steering wheel that would look appropriate in a Little Tikes car. I don’t know why, but I find this design’s careless disregard for safety to be alluring. It’s certainly attention-getting. Estimated at $18,000-$24,000, you can have a vehicle donated to the National Automobile Museum by Ed “Big Daddy” Roth himself for not a lot of money.

In a refreshing break from blue-chip classics and high-end exotics, the National Automobile Museum sale offers collectors a rare opportunity to acquire pieces of automotive history that would normally remain behind museum ropes. Serious collectors take note: this sale is not to be missed. I wish I could attend to see each of these in person, but I’ll be making my way to the Porsche Parade in Lake Placid, NY instead.

Have a great week, everyone.

Wolf and Mare provides car finding, appraisals, and auction services for buyers and sellers of collector European cars. If you’re interested in acquiring an overseas car, give us a call or drop a line!