Description
This motorcycle is Lot 108 of Bonhams Motorcycles Online – The Summer Sale; open for bidding 5-15th June 2026. This Lot is available for public view and eventual collection from Bonhams Motorcycle Department, Milton Keynes.
Please see the Bonhams website for full details.
Auction Timings:
Bidding on all Lots commences Friday 5 June, 12:00 noon.
Bidding closes Monday 15 June, 12:00 noon, starting with Lot 1
Each subsequent Lot will then close one minute apart unless bidding remains active.
Public Viewing (BY APPOINTMENT ONLY):
All Lots:
Wednesday 10 June, 9am - 5pm
Thursday 11 June, 9am - 5pm
Please email using the button below with your availability to schedule an appointment.
Lot 108
The Connoisseurs Collection, Part III
c. 1953 Lambretta 125cc Tipo E Motor Scooter
Registration no. not registered
Frame no. 125 E 031387
Engine no. * 104939* 125 E
This Lot has arrived in the UK from overseas under Temporary Admission. Shippio Ltd must complete all post-sale customs clearance administration, for import or export, on behalf of the purchaser. A compulsory fee of £195 + VAT will be added to the buyer's invoice for this service. This Lot may not be collected from the auction venue by the purchaser or any third-party transporter until Shippio Ltd has confirmed that this Lot has cleared customs.
If this Lot is to remain in the UK, or is not exported within 90 days of the sale, Import VAT at 5% of the hammer price will be payable.
Manufactured by the Italian industrial giant Innocenti, the Lambretta gained instant acceptance in the immediate post-war years, not the least because of its cleanliness and convenience. Introduced in 1947, the Lambretta was a less radical design than Piaggio's rival Vespa, using a traditional tube frame rather than the Vespa's pressed-steel monocoque chassis. The engine was exposed in the Lambretta and the leg shields were smaller than the Vespa's, but in its favour the Innocenti product had a larger engine and a pillion seat, making ownership potentially a more sociable experience. The 125cc engine produced 4. 3bhp, which was good enough for a top speed of 65-70km/ h (40-44mph).
The Lambretta was progressively developed through versions 'B', 'C' and 'D' before arriving at the 'E' in 1953. 'E' stood for 'Economico', denoting a basic, entry-level model. The Economico lacked the all-enclosing bodywork that customers had come to expect from an up-to-the-minute motor scooter, while the adoption of pull-cord starting only served to emphasise its utilitarian nature. Perhaps not surprisingly, the 'E' did not prove as popular as the contemporary 'D' and 'LD' models and lasted in production for only one year
This rare and collectible Lambretta is presented in restored condition, although the paint to the headstock was worn away while in transit and one of the plastic control levers broken. Our vendor purchased the scooter from well-known journalist and collector, Giovanni Perrone (see copy of pro forma invoice on file). The engine turns over.
Following a period of inactivity, this motorcycle will require recommissioning and/ or restoration to a greater or lesser extent before returning to the road and thus is sold strictly as viewed. Prospective purchasers should satisfy themselves with regard to this motorcycle's completeness, history, authenticity, originality and mechanical condition prior to bidding.
£3, 000 - 5, 000
All lots are sold ‘as is/ where is’ and Bidders must satisfy themselves as to the provenance, condition, age, completeness and originality prior to bidding. Visit the Bonhams Motorcycles website for all pertinent auction information.
