Those familiar with PBS’s Antiques Roadshow will immediately recognize the Keno brothers, high-energy twins who are quick to point out the key differences between a $500 Chippendale table copy and a multimillion-dollar original. Surrounded by collector cars since birth, Leigh and Leslie Keno are lifelong car guys who restored their first car, a 1963 Jaguar XK-E roadster, at age 16 (with their father’s guidance). They’ve judged at Pebble Beach, lectured as subject matter experts on automotive preservation and contributed to the book The Stewardship of Historically Important Automobiles. This November, the brothers will add to their impressive resumes with the debut of Keno Brothers Fine Automobile Auctions in New York City.
Scheduled to coincide with art auction season, their “Rolling Sculpture” sale will take place on November 19, at a yet-to-be-announced Manhattan location. The auction will be preceded by a two-day display of the cars on offer, which will seek to highlight their status as rolling works of art. In the words of co-founder Leslie Keno, “Each car is extraordinary, and will be displayed so that its history, styling and special attributes can be appreciated within its unique historical context.”
Brother Leslie adds, “We apply the same criteria and principles to motor cars that we use to evaluate works of art – line, proportion, design, originality and provenance. In addition to assessment and essays by the top experts in a particular make and marque, we will provide deep information on each car that makes transactions more transparent…”
In a nutshell, the Keno Brother plan on taking the same critical approach to fine automobiles as they do to fine furniture or fine art. Such attention to detail comes at a price, and it’s clear that the Kenos will be targeting the highest end of the automotive auction market. To date, the brothers have teased just one lot from the company’s November sale, a 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400 S with a pre-auction estimate of $800,000 to $1,600,000.
On paper, launching a new premium auction company sounds like a crazy idea in a potentially uncertain and already crowded market, but a few minutes spent talking to Leigh, Leslie and Ken might convince one otherwise. The Keno brothers have worked magic in the high-end antique market, and their reputation in the collector car market is both well-established and well-respected; in other words, we wouldn’t bet against them.
For more information on the Keno brothers’ upcoming auction, visit KenoBrothers.com.
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