The Amazing Collection of 60 Classic Cars That Belonged to Transport Mogul Roger Baillon

Imagine inheriting an inheritance of classic cars like those collected by French transportation mogul Roger Baillon during the 1950s in preparation of opening an automotive museum. That is exactly what happened.

However, his businesses failed and he was forced to sell most of the vehicles he owned – keeping only rare models for auction on Friday. These rare automobiles will be up for bid at an online auction site on Friday morning.

Early Life and Education

Roger Baillon was a French truck manufacturing tycoon who began collecting vintage cars during the 1950s in hopes of creating a museum. Unfortunately, when his business hit hard times in the 70s he was forced to sell off many of them at reduced prices or have them hidden away at his estate, where many are currently collecting dust and rust.

After Baillon died over a decade ago, his grandsons were astounded to find that the collection still existed and sought the advice of experts from Artcurial in valuing it – only then were they amazed to learn it is estimated at being worth up to $15 Million!

Octane caught up with Artcurial team leader Matthieu Lamoure as they cataloged 60 cars ahead of Retromobile sale next month.

Professional Career

Roger Baillon amassed an extraordinary collection of classic cars during the 1950s. With hopes of opening a museum to preserve them for future generations, but when his businesses went bankrupt he had no other choice than selling off most of them at auction or leaving them hidden in barns and sheds until this year when they were discovered again.

Artcurial claims that some of these cars hadn’t been seen for decades – among them was a Talbot-Lago T26 that once belonged to Egyptian King Farouk and a Ferrari 250 GT which graced Jane Fonda films.

Watch this amazing video of the vehicles discovered, it offers an unprecedented chance to witness some of the most sought-after vintage cars ever found!

Achievement and Honors

As classic car enthusiasts from across the world gathered in Paris’ Retromobile auction week in 2015, one lot grabbed everyone’s attention: an astounding collection of 60 cars saved from being scraped but sitting deteriorated for decades in open-sided sheds in western France owned by Roger Baillon – a transport magnate with hopes of building his collection into a museum.

Auction house Artcurial’s Matthieu Lamoure and car specialist Pierre Novikoff catalogued and listed this collection for auction, with remarkable results – each car selling for double, triple or even ten times its estimated pre-auction price – surpassing $25 Million to become known as the “barn find of the century.”

Personal Life

French entrepreneur Roger Baillon made his fortune in freight traffic and had long been an avid collector of antique automobiles. By the early 1970s he had amassed an extensive collection of distinctive vehicles in Poitou-Charentes that was intended to become a museum; unfortunately however when his businesses collapsed he had to sell off most of it – leaving only a handful on his property.

Experts quickly recognized them as some of the finest vintage cars ever manufactured, such as a Talbot-Lago Record T26 convertible that belonged to King Farouk of Egypt and a Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider driven by Alain Delon himself.

Even though these cars were never restored, they still managed to fetch millions at auction this year – an amazing testament to the rising value of rare automobiles and showing that sometimes treasure lies deeper beneath our feet.

Net Worth

French entrepreneur Roger Baillon amassed an extraordinary collection of cars between the 1950s and 1970s with the intention of creating a museum. Reportedly only purchasing rare and highly desirable examples like Jacques Saoutchik’s Talbot-Lago Record T26 and King Farouk of Egypt’s Delahaye; when business setbacks forced him to sell some off in 1970s due to a business setback he stashed away what remained safely on his property using barns or makeshift shelters as safe havens until his business recovery was underway in 1974 despite selling off some pieces and hiding others away in barns or makeshift shelters on his property until business setbacks forced him off even further by placing secure barns or makeshift shelters on his property storing away what remained safely stored.

His grandsons were alarmed to discover such an unexpected treasure trove, comprising dilapidated yet rare vehicles inherited from their grandfather and currently up for auction by Artcurial Motorcars of Paris as the “Baillon Collection.” Their sale will take place February 6th.