Nortonia Under the Hammer

NORTONIA UNDER THE HAMMER

BILLED AS "THE LAST remaining remnants of the once-mighty Norton factory," the contents of the former rotary-machine assembly plant were auctioned off last November. Vigorous bidding saw every item sell, including a 15square-foot sign off the facade ($290), a reputedly oil-tight electric clock ($480) and the heavily decaled restroom door ($60)! A total of 250 lots were split between rotary-related parts and machine tools of similar provenance, and enhanced by 40-odd bikes acquired by the late Keith Moore, who bought Norton's previous building-and its residual service business-in 2001 after winning $15 million in the U.K. lottery.

Intense interest surrounded the Francis Barnett and James “names,” each offered at an estimated $3500-5000. Both of the famous twostroke brands were knockeddown to anonymous telephone bidders for $8000 and $9000, respectively. (In comparison, rights to the Matchless name sold in ’02 for $170,000.)

Among the many charming items for sale was a 6x10-inch plate inscribed “New Imperial Cycles Ltd. Registered Office.” The tiny rectangle of Birmingham brass from the long-defunct firm made $400. One disparate trio, comprising a historian, a local dealer and a British parts stockist from Canada, were anxious to secure 17 filing cabinets containing three decades of Norton/Triumph correspondence. Despite a catalog description of merely 20 words, opposing bids rose from an initially calm $1000 to a frantic final $8000.

Jo Seifert, Germany’s long-established Norton distributor, outbid various Wankel engine buffs for the rotary stocks and drawings, at around $15,000. Motorcycles mostly achieved their estimates, with an exception of seven rotary streetbikes, with prices ranging between $2500 for an incomplete aircooled version to $10,000 for a liquid-cooled Commander fitted with a race-spec engine. The surprise of the sale was a 1965 Matchless G85CS, which despite missing its airbox, TT carburetor and oil tank went for $16,250. That amount was eclipsed by the National Motorcycle Museum’s purchase of two 1994 rotary racers at $140,000 for the pair! Including an old Visitors Book ($300), the sale grossed approximately $350,000. Some remnants!

Mike Jackson