A clear, cool November day is very good for oranges. They ripen best with coolness and good drainage. Ann Bothwell relayed this critical information to me several times during our regular telephone conversations.

Matriarch of clan Bothwell, Ann presided over the final active orange grove in the San Fernando Valley. With her passing last year, the proverbial end of an era came to a close. The remaining details were dealt with today—a clear, cool November day.

Ann and husband Lindley operated a fruit basket and packaging business from their Woodland Hills ranch for many decades. During their business travels, they passed time in towns across America by wandering through toy stores in search of model trains. Their collection grew to include an impressive array of 1920s & ‘30s vintage trains, each with a travel story to tell.

Lindley also had a particular passion for automobiles and managed to accumulate an impressive collection which was stored in barns and out building over their large property. Many were kept in operating condition. He brought several old racecars to Riverside, Santa Monica, and Pomona to recreate the old Vanderbilt Cup races. He can rightly be credited for launching what we currently recognize as vintage auto racing.

With Lindley’s passing in the 1980s, Ann maintained the ranch and collections. Shunning publicity, she nonetheless allowed certain car clubs and groups onto the property for special events. Ann referred to select people as her “dear friend.” It strikes me that all her friends were dear to her. She passed away last year, leaving the ranch details open for tending to.

Bonham’s auction house was on hand this cool, clear November day to auction the trains, automobilia, and auto collection. The entire list of auction items and subsequent winning bids can be found at the Bonham site.

You could have acquired a clean 1926 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost pickup for $145,000. Or how about a 1925 Model T speedster for $8,000? Maybe a 1925 Locomobile Model 48 Town Car ($47,000) is more your style. An extremely rare 1902 Packard Model G went across the block at $385,000 while Barney Oldfield’s 1908 Prinz-Heinrich Benz beat the estimates selling for $1.7 million.

The most significant car in American auto racing history was sold for $6.6 million. A 1914 Peugeot L45 Grand Prix two seater, this particular car was the star of today’s auction for very good reason. It was this car and its stablemates that came to Southern California in the late ‘teens touting new French engine technology. Upon finding themselves in the Los Angeles shop of Harry Miller for repairs, Miller not only repaired them to racing condition, he learned a lot about how to complete his own engine designs.

Miller engines dominated the racing scene throughout the 1920s. Miller later sold off to Fred Offenshauser whose engines were the premier powerplant in American racing for decades. The Peugeot sold today is a primary reason Miller engines existed, which begat Offys, and thus became the most significant car in American auto racing history. You can argue the point if you like. You’d just be wrong.

What made the Bothwell Collection such a treasure is that it existed in a single place. From Model Ts and cycle cars to movie cars and old racers, Lindley and Ann Bothwell’s collection reflected their many interests. They were open to sharing it with the rest of us and were quick to tell tales about every piece. Now spread out, it remains to be seen if a given vehicle will increase in value with the Bothwell pedigree attached. I will assume so.

This story will appear at LACar.com soon. Fresh off the fingertips as of now.

Harold O.

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