1897 Benz Velo
- Colour
- Black
The Benz Velo (chassis 610) is an 1897 example of what is widely regarded as the first standardised mass-production automobile, of which around 1,200 were manufactured between 1894 and 1902. Delivered new to the Temperino Brothers in Turin, it passed through only three subsequent owners across more than a century, including a long tenure with Turin Veteran Car Club chairman Professor Elio Quaglino and later display in the Museo delle Comunicazioni under the Tavoletti family.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold €398,750 (≈ $439K)
- 1897-07-26 → 1922Factory deliveryTemperino Brotherspartial documentation
Turin-based recipients of the original factory delivery; no documentary evidence of their custodianship beyond the delivery record is described.
- 1922 → 1972-09-01Acquisition unknownProfessor Elio Quaglinopartial documentation
Gallery proprietor and chairman of the Turin veteran car club; mid-1960s photographs show him presenting the vehicle, at that time finished in red, at various public events.
- 1972-09-01 → 2016Private saleGiacomo Tavolettipartial documentation
Collector and proprietor of the Museo delle Comunicazioni; the car remained on display and in family possession through 2016.
- 2017 →Acquisition unknownThe Aumann Collectionfull documentation
Owner invested roughly €35,000 in restoration work to align the car with the standard of other vehicles in the collection; invoices are on file. Car was repainted in traditional black prior to or during this ownership.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 2017Restoration
Comprehensive restoration carried out after acquisition by the Aumann Collection, at a cost of roughly €35,000, bringing the car up to the standard of the collection's other vehicles.
Supporting invoices are available within the vehicle's file.
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