Leigh and Leslie Keno — art and antique experts known for their appraisals on the Emmy-nominated PBS television show “Antiques Roadshow” — have entered the automobile marketplace with Keno Brothers Fine Automobile Auctions.
Their inaugural auction, entitled “Rolling Sculpture,” will launch in the midst of the fevered art auction season with an exclusive event in New York City on Thursday, November 19, in a museum-quality showroom in Manhattan.
Featured early consignments include a 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400 S, with original paint and boar’s hide interior (Keno estimate: $800k–$1.6m). “It’s automobiles like these that are carefully curated to present some of the greatest achievements in automotive history,” said Co-Founder Leslie Keno. “Each car is extraordinary and will be elegantly displayed so that its history, styling and special attributes can be appreciated within its unique historical context.”
“We apply the same criteria and principles to motor cars that we use to evaluate works of art — line, proportion, design, originality and provenance,” Co-Founder Leigh Keno says. “In addition to assessment and essays by the top experts in a particular make and marque, we will provide deep Information on each car that makes transactions more transparent, reduces trading friction and makes the learning curve less steep for new collectors and sellers, including heirs.”
The Keno brothers are applying the same advanced evaluation techniques and cutting-edge scientific technology used in the art and antiques world to the classic car world.
For example, when appropriate, highly trained scientists will apply a variety of groundbreaking x-ray analytical technologies used in the art world in order to take the guesswork out of the purchase, allowing potential buyers to bid with confidence.
While novice and avid car collectors will enjoy the chance to bid on these automobiles during the live event, bidders will also be able to participate online in real time, thanks to proprietary new software.
Developed by Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder Bradley R. Farrell, this software collects automobile data in new ways, making the rarity and quality of a given automobile easier to understand and giving potential bidders a more informed purchasing experience.
To learn more, visit kenobrothers.com.