Description
National Motorcycle Museum | Solihull, West Midlands
Viewing: Tuesday 28th October from 1pm
Auction: Wednesday 29th October from 9am
Location: National Motorcycle Museum, Coventry Road, Bickenhill, Solihull B92 0EJ
1965 Lambretta GT200 “Stella Artois”
The actual scooter used in the 1999 ‘Reassuringly Expensive’ advertisement
Estimate
£8, 000 - £10, 000
Registration No: HRO 96C
Frame No: 541725
MOT: Exempt
Pure contemporary automotive art with full provenance from the advertising agency
Genuine British registered GT200 with correct numbers engine number 541730
In fine running order, regularly used and with pleasing patina
V5C for use on UK roads
The tagline ‘Reassuringly Expensive’ is one of the most successful ever created in the advertising world. Running from 1987 until 2007 it maintained the Belgian brand Stella Artois as a premium lager in the UK. The poster and magazine campaign for the year 2000 was conceived in 1999 by the advertising agency Lowe Howard-Spink and ran a small series of ‘cool’ advertisements for consumer magazines using ‘expensive’ items including a Rickenbacker guitar, Eames chair and in this case a Lambretta TV200. The beautifully understated advertising utilising just the subtlety of the bottle cap scraping down the horncast and the bottle cap resting below next to a few droplets of beer.
The owner of the scooter at the time of the advertisement was Peter Maisey a well respected Lambretta expert from Essex who was commissioned to prepare the scooter for the photo shoot. Our vendor acquired the scooter direct from Mr Maisey.
The larger engined Lambretta TV200 had quickly followed the TV175 slim style in early 1963 at the specific request of the British importer Lambretta Concessionaires who wanted an even more powerful model than the TV175 to satisfy their customer base. Genuine TV200 Lambrettas were instantly recognised as the GT200 to differentiate them from the TV175 models.
This example is in standard condition and has a good used patina around it. Despite its famous moment on camera it has been a running ridden scooter even up until recently. The horncast badge was re-affixed into position as the current owner thought it might detach. We can see from the supplied bills that it has had some good practical maintenance done by Kegra Racing Scooter centre of Southend earlier in its life and has MOTs from 2010 to 2017. There is still very much originality about the scooter and we noted many original parts including original side panels. All keys for ignition, steering lock and glove box are present. Still a standard 200cc we understand with a Dellorto 25mm carburettor and large bore pipe. The seat is an original Giuliari with a replacement cover. The scooter fired up easily and sounded very good as can be seen on the accompanying video filmed at the time of consignment. Our consultant was also able to ride the scooter over a reasonable distance during the photo shoot.
Supplied with a good history file going back to the old blue V5 and showing only 3 previous keepers believed to be true. There is also a genuine original and rare TV200 instruction booklet, workshop manual and correspondence with the advertising agency. A superb and special scooter.
** Bidding will take place live at the venue, online via our H&H website, by telephone and commission - T&Cs apply**
Parking and entry into the auction is free for auction attendees with a catalogue, available at the door.
Catalogues can be purchased for £20 (admits 2 people).
