Mecum Showcases the Eddie Vannoy Collection
Eddie Vannoy Collection was primarily automobile-related, but his interests didn’t stop there. There was little doubt that he thoroughly enjoyed his hobby – finding just one more special item. And, he did just that for more than 50 years. His attention for detail and dedication to quality extended to the design of his exhibition rooms. He erected eye-catching, custom-made cases for his treasures, making his Collection truly a sight to behold.
Themed rooms for Muscle Cars, Mopars, Corvettes, Motorcycles, Pedal Cars, and Western Firearms were spread throughout his multi-building compound. Vintage bikes hung from the ceiling, and the walls were covered in automobile-related signs, including more neon lights than can be found on the Vegas Strip.
However, after years of assembling this remarkable collection, Mr. Vannoy made the difficult decision to release his collection to the next generation of collectors. It was time for others to have the opportunity to enjoy the items that he had so painstakingly amassed over the years. So, he cosigned his entire Collection to Mecum Auctions, who spent five days selling 5,000 pieces. Here’s a look at Mr. Vannoy’s treasure rooms, before Mecum helped find new homes for each item.
Vehicles
The centerpieces of Mr. Vannoy’s Collection were iconic muscle cars. These cars included a pair of 1970 Buick GSXs and Mopar Winged cars, a 1969 Dodge Daytona and 1970 Plymouth Superbird, and late model Dodge Challenger SRT Demons and limited edition Corvettes and Shelby Mustangs. The icing on the cake was a 1958 Cadillac Series 62 convertible with tri-power.
Motorcyles and Boat Motors
Mr. Vannoy’s favorite motor bikes were apparently 1940s Harleys and Indians. There were many vintage outboard boat motors in the same room with the motorcycles. In addition to the better known brands, such as Evinrude and Johnson, there were lesser known names, such as Waterwich, Sea King, and even a motor made by Indian Motor Bike Company.
Pedal Cars
Mr. Vannoy’s Collection consisted of two rooms full of pedal cars in mint-condition, and these were not the plain, dime-store variety. There were planes, firetrucks, Duesenburgs, and even a caterpillar dozer. I’m sure there were a lot of happy kids who found these under their Christmas tree (BITD).
Bikes, Barber Shop, Firearms
Many of the bikes were in pairs – boys and girls version – all looking showroom fresh. Along one wall was an old-time barber shop with vintage chairs and mannequin-clientele. All the fire arms, western rifles, and hand guns were housed in a separate room.
Road Art and More
To provide a glittery background for all the major items in the Collection, memorabilia was scattered throughout the buildings. The below slideshow is a sampling of what we saw.
A Walk Through the Collection
Sales price includes buyer’s commission.
