A view from the block at the inaugural 2023 New Orleans Auction.
The excitement is in full swing in New Orleans!
Barrett-Jackson kicked off its inaugural auction in the Crescent City with a lively Opening Night Party on Wednesday in the River City Venues at Mardi Gras World. Attendees, including bidders, consignors and guests, reveled in a diverse selection of gourmet delights and live musical entertainment. The NOLA Community Choir added to the festivities by performing the National Anthem while New Orleans locals the Phunky Monkeys electrified the entire audience, getting everyone up on their feet, singing along and dancing the night away to an extraordinary performance.
The vibrant evening established the mood for the auction’s first day on Thursday. Over 100 pieces of authentic automobilia took center stage to kick off the bidding. Gas pumps took the top spots, which included Lot #6291.3, a 1926 Gilbert and Barker Model #178 Standard Red Crown visible gas pump, a 1928 Mobil Oil Wayne Model #515 visible gas pump (Lot #6291) and a 1930s Mobil Oil Bennett Model #76 gas pump (Lot #6289.1). Lot #6299, a Vintage Kentucky Fried Chicken light-up sign, rounded out the top automobilia items of the day.
When the collector cars began to cross the world-famous block, there was an unmistakable sense of excitement in the air. Bidders were eager to see the diverse selection of vehicles, ranging from a classic 1952 Special Construction Sprint Car to a modern 2014 Maserati Ghibli. Pickups and SUVs, in particular, generated a lot of interest among collectors, with several attention-grabbing examples including a 1970 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 custom SUV (Lot #123). Other exciting sales included a 2012 Maserati Quattroporte (Lot #126), a 1960 Kaiser Carabela Hearse funeral car (Lot #124), 2012 BMW 650i convertible (Lot #102), and a 1967 Volkswagen Beetle custom coupe “The Wolf Of Reno” (Lot #87).
Those at the automotive lifestyle event today found plenty to do outside the auction arena. Guests were able to get up-close with the auction cars on display, shop in the Exhibitor Marketplace, view interesting innovations from sponsors and go for thrilling rides on the Barrett-Jackson Performance Track in the latest Dodge and Toyota vehicles. Barrett-Jackson’s new Fan Zone in the Exhibitor Marketplace was also in full swing, complete with live music. It was an exciting day of exploration and fun!
The auction action will continue to ramp up over the next two days – be sure to join us for an exciting Friday and Saturday. Tickets are available at the box office and on Barrett-Jackson.com.
Enjoy the video below with Wednesday night’s most memorable moments of the Opening Night Party, as well as a gallery with Thursday’s highlights from the auction arena and around Barrett-Jackson’s inaugural New Orleans Auction site.
Singing of the National Anthem.
Guests in thhe Exhibitor Marketplace.
Friends at the auction.
Enjoy this gallery with Thursday’s highlights from the auction arena and around Barrett-Jackson’s inaugural New Orleans Auction site.