Incredible but true ! For almost 40 years, a mysterious Dutch collector had amassed a breathtaking collection of vintage cars. 230 copies for special models, sometimes unique. This famous collection will be auctioned by Gallery Aaldering in collaboration with Classic Car Auctions. For various reasons, the owner had to sell his collection to Gallery Aaldering.
But who is this mystery person who owned all his vehicles? This is Mr. Palmen says Het Laatste Nieuws. A 75-year-old man with no history and no children. Raised in The Hague, he grew up in a wealthy family. Previously, he lived in a modest terraced house in Dordrecht. Today, the septuagenarian stays in a nursing home. In his old neighborhood, no one knows his first name. Everyone simply called him “Palmen”, at least those who crossed his path. The general opinion was that he was “eccentric” and “not very sociable”.
Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin,… A mysterious collection of vintage cars unveiled to the public
Today, he would suffer from dementia. He sold his house for barely 200,000 euros, a ridiculous price for a city like Dordrecht.
As a reminder, his collection was discovered because of a fire in one of the three places where the cars were. “It is a large collection, unique in the world”, explained Jos Jurriens who was able to observe this find. An international auction is scheduled from May 19 to June.
Gallery Aaldering did not disclose the price it gave Mr. Palmen for this collection. And it is very difficult to estimate the price of this future loot. One thing is certain, it will be very substantial and might reach tens of millions of euros. “The owner, Nico Aaldering, has been in the business for 40 years. But this sale is undoubtedly the highlight of his career,” concluded Carlo te Lintelo, marketing manager for the gallery.