An older-restored 4.2-litre 1965 Aston Martin DB5 hit a healthy £268,000, while a slightly less good 1955 DB2/4 drophead coupe managed £168,000, and the splendid Vauxhall 30-98 formerly belonging to and restored by Arthur Archer was £179,200. A 1959 DB2/4 coupe failed to sell, and the same went for a rare 1955 Mercedes 300S coupe, though an Invicta S-type Low Chassis project, essentially a new rolling chassis and body from the Invicta Car Company with all the parts needed to complete it neatly boxed up behind it, made £106,400.

A scary-looking 1949 Bentley MkVI special with 4.5-litre Daimler Majestic Major V8 power looked like a Caterham on steroids and worth every penny of £44,070. The 1980 Aston Martin-MGB prototype roadster hit a high £11,200, and a tidy Austin A40 racer just right for the HRDC series was £13,160.

Other lots included a restored and lovely 1950 Bristol 401 Saloon at £39,200 and a 1986-constructed aluminium-bodied Proteus C-type at £63,280, comfortably under retail, while the same went for a 1994 Bentley Continental R which looked super value at £28,560 after a provisional bid of £25,000 was accepted.

H&H’s first sale of 2013 is at The Pavilion Gardens, Buxton, Derbyshire on 26 February where lots include a 1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster, 1933 Talbot BA75 3.3 Litre Special Tourer and 1961 Messerschmitt KR200 Cabriolet.