RM Sotheby’s Icons auction in New York this December is definitely living up to its title theme. The lots announced thus far include a 1995 Porsche 911 GT2 with only 7,127 miles on the clock expected to fetch over $1.1 million and a painting by Alfredo de la María titled Le Mans 1967 — but the most notable lot of all has to be the exact suit and helmet Steve McQueen wore in the film Le Mans.
When the auction rolls around on December 6, make sure you have at least $400,000 or $500,000 in hand; that’s how much the ensemble is expected to fetch. Sure, you can get a brand-new race suit for a few hundred, but it certainly won’t be a piece of cinematic history worn by Hollywood royalty. The original Hinchman suit and Bell helmet look a little worse for wear, but if you watch Le Mans and know the backstory, you know that that suit was put to the test behind the wheel of the Porsche 917K around Circuit de la Sarthe — so those are genuine McQueen sweat stains. Worth it? I wouldn’t wear it, but it’d make a hell of a centerpiece in the den.
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