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Millionaire Leaves Impressive Collection of Classics to Charity, Will Sell at Auction

This should go without saying, but man is prone to overgeneralizing, so here it goes: not all millionaires are selfish, insufferable, horrible human beings. Robert Furniss Riding, a late millionaire banker, is a good example in this sense.
Late banker Robert Riding's car collection will sell at auction, with benefits going to charity 15 photos
Photo: H&H Classics
Late banker Robert Riding's car collection will sell at auction, with benefits going to charityLate banker Robert Riding's car collection will sell at auction, with benefits going to charityLate banker Robert Riding's car collection will sell at auction, with benefits going to charityLate banker Robert Riding's car collection will sell at auction, with benefits going to charityLate banker Robert Riding's car collection will sell at auction, with benefits going to charityLate banker Robert Riding's car collection will sell at auction, with benefits going to charityLate banker Robert Riding's car collection will sell at auction, with benefits going to charityLate banker Robert Riding's car collection will sell at auction, with benefits going to charityLate banker Robert Riding's car collection will sell at auction, with benefits going to charityLate banker Robert Riding's car collection will sell at auction, with benefits going to charityLate banker Robert Riding's car collection will sell at auction, with benefits going to charityLate banker Robert Riding's car collection will sell at auction, with benefits going to charityLate banker Robert Riding's car collection will sell at auction, with benefits going to charityLate banker Robert Riding's car collection will sell at auction, with benefits going to charity
Robert Furniss Riding was a passionate car collector and yachtsman, and he dedicated his post-retirement years to these two hobbies, while becoming an active part of the community in the Isle of Man, where he relocated after retiring from the Bank of Scotland. It is here that he was finally able to fully indulge in his passion for tracking, buying and restoring vintage cars, to the point where he had to move out of the home he inherited, into a bigger house with a more spacious garage.

Over the years, Riding acquired an impressive collection of classics and modern vehicles, 16 of which he bequeathed to several charities, including the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution), a charity that specializes in lifeboat search and rescue, flood rescue, water safety education, and lifeguards. They will be selling at auction with the H&H Classics auction house, at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, on October 19, 2022.

The collection includes vehicles dated between 1924 and 1991, many of them awarded at various international events, and the majority in impeccable condition. Riding had a soft spot for Bentley and Rolls-Royce, but he also made room in his heart for the odd Mercedes-Benz and Maserati. A few of the vehicles are rare collectibles, survivors of old limited series, which will add to the desirability factor and consequently drive up the price. The listing notes that they’re selling without reserve, while proceeds will go to charity.

The full list is spearheaded by a superb 1924 Bentley 3-Liter Vanden Plas Tourer, one of 765 produced and the beneficiary of a recent engine overhaul estimated at well over £30,000 ($35,400 at the current exchange rate). Another rarity is a 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Sedanca Coupe, one of just 279 units of Phantom II Continental ever made. A 1956 Bentley S1 Continental is next: a 1-of-45 right-hand units, it boasts a recent £34,000 ($40,000) upgrade that included the addition of power steering.

The list continues with a 1989 Rolls-Royce Corniche II Convertible, a 1932 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Drophead Coupe, a 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III Sports Limousine, a 1926 Rolls-Royce 20 HP Landaulette, a 1955 Daimler Empress DF 308, a 1991 Maserati Bi-Turbo Spyder, 1933 Daimler Fifteen Fixed Head Coupe, 1968 Triumph Vitesse, a 1935 Lanchester Twelve Fixed Head Coupe, a 1971 Vanden Plas 1300, a 1990 Mercedes-Benz 260 E and a 1953 Lanchester 14 Saloon. The 1955 Daimler Conquest Century Drophead Coupe is the only one that still needs work done, because Riding was in the process of restoring it at the time of his death.

If you’re on the market for fresh additions to your garage or would simply enjoy some vintage eye candy, the full listings are here.
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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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