On January 19th starting at precisely 10:30am, Bonhams auctioneers at the Barrett-Jackson mega-event in Scottsdale will begin bringing to the stage lots 1 through 151 as part of the auction house’s “The Scottsdale Sale”. The lots represent a wide range of significant and unique items from the estate of automotive journalism guru and personality David E. Davis, Jr, who suddenly and sadly passed away on March 27th of last year following surgery.

The items are a vast array of Mr. Davis’ collection of rarities assembled during his nearly 60-year career history with automobiles, the people who designed and built them, and especially with those legends who risked their lives racing them. Lots range from lot number one through to lot 151, and these can all be seen online and bid on pre-auction.

Among the array of a lifetime’s collectibles are included several pieces of desk art, original wall art, rare signed photographs of Dan Gurney, Juan Manuel Fangio, Carroll Shelby, and others, plus a great number of authoritative books, many now out of print. Not to mention a perfectly preserved crimson red 1951 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe – a favored Harley Earl design – with fewer than 9,000 original miles, listed as lot number 326.

Continue reading David E. Davis, Jr. items and his cherry ’51 Caddie hit the block at Bonhams auction in Scottsdale

David E. Davis, Jr. items and his cherry ’51 Caddie hit the block at Bonhams auction in Scottsdale originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David E. Davis, Jr. has died at age 80. The longtime Car and Driver editor, Automobile Magazine founder and man with his fingerprints all over this great business of ours passed away unexpectedly after complications from bladder surgery at 5:15pm Eastern on Sunday. A hugely witty man with a talent for honing a magazine’s voice and recognizing and refining talent in those around him, Davis stands among the founding fathers of modern automotive journalism.

In recent years, Davis had returned to C/D as a columnist after helping to get pioneering digital auto magazine, Winding Road, off the ground. He has held sway over nearly every great print title in the American auto journalism world at one point or another, including Road & Track and Motor Trend, and earlier in his professional life, he cultivated a distinguished career in the automotive ad business, where he was instrumental in the creation of General Motors‘ seminal “Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Chevrolet” campaign, among others.

As an editor, publisher, ad man, racer, mentor and raconteur extraordinaire, Davis leaves an indelible mark on the industry. As a family man, he leaves behind his beloved wife, Jeannie, a daughter and two sons, including our own European Editor, Matt Davis.

Ever eloquent, where others might simply inquire “How are you?”, Davis was known for asking colleagues and friends “Is your life a rich tapestry?” Davis’ own life was certainly a vibrant and detailed work of art. Everyone in auto world owes this icon a debt of gratitude… and some of us even owe him our careers.

David E. Davis, Jr., Dean of automotive journalism, dead at 80 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 21:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Talking about my dad just after the day of his death, I’m sort of forced to quote him. Right up to the last, he was “one tough summbitch” as he would say in praising anyone worth their salt. He saved that Burnside, Kentucky, inner country boy just for such moments as these.

His amazing wife Jeannie Luce Kuhn Davis (one of the great names in the annals of stepmothering) and I drove up to the hospital yesterday before I had to get to the airport to head to New York City, where I am writing this now. Jeannie was in her Chrysler minivan – her favorite for hauling dogs and people, in that order – me in a nice Saab 9-5 sedan. We’d brought the two big Italian Spinone hunting dogs, Tavi (for “Ottavio”) and Pucci (for “Puccini”), to the hospital the two previous days so they could give some love to their bedridden master. Jeannie was going to bring them again in the afternoon since my dad and everyone else on the floor got such a kick out of them with their silly bearded faces and warm affection.

In the morning my dad was fine and we had a good last bye-bye, saying we’d see each other really soon again anyway. After all, all post-op tests revealed that he was now completely cured of any cancer and he’d be heading home in maybe five or six days to heal up completely. We were all telling as much to the many well-wishers who phoned the room.

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Continue reading ‘Bye Dad: David Evan Davis, Jr., shuts his eyes one last time at 80 years, 140 days

‘Bye Dad: David Evan Davis, Jr., shuts his eyes one last time at 80 years, 140 days originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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