On June 15th, VanDerBrink is auctioning off the collection of Jeff Begg, a late Michigan businessman who had a secret collection that his family and friends did not know about! He was passionate about British bikes and even named his machine parts manufacturing company (Marshall-Excelsior Corp) after the town he lived in (Marshall, Michigan) and Excelsior-Henderson. The main draw of Jeff’s collection is 63 British bikes, but the auction will include four Moto Guzzis, motorcycle parts, 38 Midget and Sprint racers, and some collector cars.
Jeff’s story is a fun one – here’s an excerpt from the auction description:
“When you ask a car guy why they collect the cars they have they generally swear allegiance to a brand or speak of a memory that the car triggers. For Jeff Begg, it was his love of engineering. Raised in Michigan, with the proximity to car manufacturers, there was always a car event or race in the area. Growing up Jeff had many memories of fixing cars to race them later that night or just cruising for girls. It was this automotive activity that triggered his love of engineering…
…Jeff loved British motorcycles. He would say, “Anyone can have an Indian, but a British bike is special.” He saw them as engineering marvels and in turn honored his love of British and unique bikes by naming the companies he started after them…
…Jeff sold his business in 2017 and also lost his wife that same year. She was a big eBay seller and he had to close out her affairs. Little did he know the eBay world would fuel his engineering and speed love affair. His family had no clue that he was filling up buildings with all of his favorite engineering and speed things. It was just too easy. He typed in something he wanted and there it was. Soon crates, trucks, and boxes would come to the office. Penny, his secretary, was the only one that knew his secret. eBay became more than a hobby. It was exciting, and he met people with similar interests. His son-in-law, and business partner, soon learned about the large collection after Jeff passed away.”
Check out this PDF for the rest of the story and the entire list of lots. Or click here for the online catalog that allows you to browse through individual bikes and get more details as you wish.
1988 Matchless G80 (Harris’ attempt at a rebirth with a Rotax motor)
“Homemade Mystery Motorcycle” with Rickman chassis, norton transmission, Weslake 1000cc V-Twin motor, and some Yamaha parts.
1999 Excelsior-Henderson Super X. Still New In Box.
For more information on how to attend, head on over to VanDerBrink. If you can’t make it to Springfield, Michigan in person, online bidding will also be available.