Don Williams, a beloved pioneer in the collector car hobby, has diedat age 78.It would be hard to find anyone—let alone a successful car salesman—who was as liked and respected as Williams.HestartedatOld TimeCarsin Los Angeleswhen he wasjust 21,then produced the first vintagecar auction in California. He spent time withall the early greats of car collecting, such as Briggs Cunningham,Bill Harrah, and Otis Chandler.
In 1979,Williams moved to Arizona where he was an integral part of the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auctions (he hadbidder pass #1 at Barrett-Jackson).Henextmoved toDanville,inNorthern California, where he assembledan extraordinary car collection forland developerKen Behring.Itevolved into therespectedBlackhawk Museum in 1988.
Inaparallel effort, WilliamsestablishedThe Blackhawk Collection,Inc., which sold unique and high-endclassic automobilesand race cars.In1981, he became the first person to sell a classic car—the 1931 Figoni-bodied DuesenbergJ—for more than $1 million. Williamsheld early collector car expositions and auctions in Japan and Switzerland in the late eighties, and his expositions spread toother locations, including China.
Over time, more than $1 billion in classic cars passed through his hands.Yet the true measure of the man is how he’s remembered by his friends.Manypeoplein the collector car world were eager to share their memories of Williams’ generosity and their fondness for him. I’m no exception:
For an installation in 2016 (“Bellissima!The Italian Automotive Renaissance,” at Nashville’s Frist Art Museum) Don loaned me the threepricelessAlfa Romeo B.A.T. cars. It wasn’t a slam dunk. I had asked him several times and each time, his answer was not encouraging. I persisted because I thought those cars were important to the exhibition, and that their appearance on the East Coast would promote The Blackhawk Museum on the West Coast. Finally, Don acquiesced—it was abigdeal because he didn’t often change his mind.He liked the idea of his cars appearing in a fine art museum—andoncehe changed his mind, he was a big advocate. I will always be eternally grateful. Those cars took a great show and put it over the top.
Mr. Pebble Beach
Sandra Button, chairwoman, Pebble Beach Concours: Hewas a wonderful friend to the Pebble Beach Concours, sharing more cars here than anyone else has over the past 71 years. The lateLorin Tryon [longtime co-chair of the Pebble Beach Concours]first invited Don to show a carat Pebble Beachin the early 1970s, and over the ensuing five decades he continued to show at least one car eachyear.Often, he showed more.If we needed a particular model of car to complete a certain class, it was Don we turned to; he likelyhad something spectacular to fill the need—and he would be happyto bring it.
Don helped to introduce us to the car world and the carworld to us. Itmadepossible the first gathering and public display of all three Alfa Romeo B.A.T.s in the late 1980s.
He never won best of show. He always said,“A car dealercouldn’twin it.”And,unfortunately,he was right.
So,Donchanged his attitude. Hetold once me,“OneyearI wasdeterminedto win.I spent hundreds of thousands ofdollars.AndI didn’t enjoy the people; I didn’t enjoy the cars and it was all because of me.SoI had to changemy attitude.”
And fromthatmoment forward,he just came to have fun, to be with people and to golf,and have a greattime. That’s good advice for a lot of people whocome to Pebble Beach.Somepeopleare so focused,they lose sight of what a wonderful day and experience it is.
Don also deserves the credit for founding what is now Dawn Patrol presented by Hagerty,which welovinglyfirstcalled the‘Don Patrol.’In the 1970s and 1980s, Don competed with the Atwellsfor yearsto be the first entrant on our show field.He then transitioned to being a spectator, pulling a chairupto the entrance to view each car as it pulled in,and serving coffee to the Concours staff and friends.
Hewas always available to talk about cars.You could always have a long chat and a big chuckle with him. Thousands of cars went through his hands over the years. Hewasn’t shy about having anopinion, about a person or a car. It wasn’t toxic. As much as he loved‘the deal,’he also loved the cars.Don once told us that although he knew he couldn’t keep them all, hewanted to try to play a small part in the life of every great car he could find—owning them for a time if he was fortunate, or perhaps brokering their sale, acting as caretaker, or at least seeing them in person.
Chris Bock, Chief Judge at Pebble Beach: “When [Pebble Beach Concours co-chairs] LorinTryonand JHeumannwere trying tobuild the Pebble Beach Concours into a more relevant and international show,Don was the go-to guy who kept coming up with incredible European Classics year after year. They really counted on Don to fill the field with the ‘right stuff.’In Don’s early days in Danville, before thebig Blackhawk expansion,he had a small storefront showroom with just a few cars. Gordon Apker and I joined him for lunch one day,and he insisted on driving us to lunch in aMercedes-Benz540K. It ran great,but Don remarked after we were underway that he had forgotten that the car had very little in the way of brakes. It was aninterestingride!”
Lorin and J first decided to celebrate Isotta Fraschini at the Concours. Donbroughtthemajority of the cars in the display. They were chosenforthe Parade of Elegance,but unfortunatelymost of thosecars were barely running,and that elegant parade turned into an exhibition of pushing, towing and coaxing to get the cars over the ramp! Don was still smiling all through the process.His devotion to Lorin and J and the Concours was without bounds. Hehelped the show become what it is today.
Williams wasapioneerinbringing cars to Peter Hay Hill for display.Often, he’d have thirty or moretop levelclassicsin his tent.‘Some people thought that was the start of the Concours,”Dononcequipped to me,‘andtheywere looking for where they should pay admission.’
Miles Morris, director, MM Garage LLC: I am fortunate to be a current member of the Pebble Beach Selection Committee;some fifteen of us vet and choose the field each year.Indays gone by,Lorin Tryon and J Heumann picked the field themselves with considerable help and input from Don. Heknew where many of the great classics lived,and further whether they were going to be show worthy.
The biggest forcein car collecting,post-BillHarrah
McKeel Hagerty, CEO, Hagerty: Don Williams was a pivotal figure in the car world and for Hagerty. His vision and execution of Blackhawk raised the game when there were few true luxury offerings. He believed in us early on and gave us a chance to meet his best customers when he would set up his inventory in Monterey and Hershey.
The Blackhawk Museum was an almost unimaginable place. The cars were so rare and so exotic, and they were presented in such an elevated way. It truly took your breath away.
Don was the inspiration for our Dawn Patrol activation at Pebble Beach. He was always the first one on the field watching the early cars roll out on the 18thfairway. He seemed to know every single car…probably because he owned it once or twice before.
Tim McGrane, CEO, M1 Concourse: “Hewas amarketingpioneer.‘The Auction’ [Barrett-Jackson Arizona]was the first no reserve sale of its kind when itstarted. The Expo in Pebble Beach that he and RichieClynedid was a new concept, as no one would put a great‘classic car’across the auction block. His auctions in Europe with Erich Traberand then in Japan with Mitsubishiweresuccessful.
Then he, Richie Clyne and Rick Cole founded World Classic Auction and Exposition Company for a few years. He was the first American to take cars to Rétromobile. Marc Nicolosi and Francois Melcion would use the cars as a feature display. One year he convinced Chrysler to send over their Atlantique concept car. He got Barry Meguiar to hold theMeguiar’sPerson of the year award at Blackhawk one year,the only time it was outsideLos Angeles.
Miles Morris: I first came into direct contact with Don in the early 1990’s after I joined Christie’s and quickly realized what a consummate and knowledgeable car power player he had become. He exuded tremendous, yet measured, enthusiasm for the great automobiles passing through his hands. His skills at secretly sourcing, buying, trading and selling were backed up by his knowledge and quiet demeanor and disposition which clearly hid an uncanny instinct for consummating the deal.
Don was a master of what I call soft sale/hard sale—luring his clients withempowering stories, provenance and importance of his automobiles yet often seeming rather non-plussed when one failed to meet his price expectations! He was dogged, however,when a deal was close and would pay great attention to closing a deal where possible: he was also, in my dealings, fair and honest.I recall him taking back a highly valuable vehicle in recent years, without argument, when it was discovered to have a questionable title and ownership.
David Gooding, president and founder, Gooding & Company: When he set up the BlackhawkMuseum, it was adefining moment. He was the biggest forcein car collecting,post-BillHarrah.He was always at the forefront of the market. He had the biggest buyers and the most impressive collection.Donpioneered in Japan and China. He wanted to educate them about classic cars.
Over time, he owned soverymany cars—theyall passed through his hands. He had a huge influence on the market. He was proud to sell these cars.
Martin Button, owner, Cosdel International: DonWilliamshad thefinestreputation, with more people, than anyone I know.His auctions in Japanand Switzerlandwere absolutely five star. There was aMuseum inShanghai called SAM, ShanghaiAutoMuseum.Don and a Chinese organizationhad sixty carsthere—hecouldn’t importthemona permanent basis, so we shipped theminon a temporarypermit.After a couple of years, thatwould expire. We’d have to take the cars out of China,bring them backto the U.S.,andhe would send over other cars to replace them. It went onfor many years.He was apioneerimporting these usedclassiccars andtrying to get themaccepted by the Shanghai provincial government.But theChinesefederal government inBeijing wouldn’t agree to this.Theinitiativefailed and finally he pulled out.
Another thing that Don was famous for was putting pricesup.If a car wasn’t selling,he would actuallyraisehis price, and then he would sell it! Donwas counter-intuitive. He’dsell a car,then pay the guy more and buy it back, shortlythereafter,because he thought themarketwas strong.He could read the market and evenmakethe market.
When Craig Jackson focused on muscle cars, he looked to Don to bring him back to the “respected” classics. The result was the Premium Collection, held in prime time, at 5PM Saturday night. That was Don’s doing.
A quiet man with an enormous heart
Bill Warner, founder, Amelia Island Concours: Don would call me periodically just to ask about my welfare. He cared for people as much as he cared for cars. He was a quiet man with an enormous heart and passion for peopleand automobiles.He had exquisite taste,andhewas always seeing the future before any of us recognized it. In short,he was the best and a good friend.I feel there were times he felt the culture was leaving bothof us behind.I will miss his insightand knowledge.
Dave Kinney, publisher, Hagerty Price Guide: As a new to the profession appraiser in the early 1990s, Don would always take my phone call and direct me toward the answer I was searching for.He usually dressed like he was on his way to or from a round of golf at the country club; his warm smile and ready laugh were omnipresent.
David Gooding: I knew Don for many years,beginning when my father was a curator for the Nethercutt Collection in the1980s.And I’d see him when I worked for Christies in the 1990s. Donwas always supportive and positive, whether he was buying or selling.He was very encouraging to me. He wasalwaysgenerous with his time andhis cars. As a young man, I found him intimidating at first, but then Igot toknow him, and that ceased to be an issue.We’re all going to miss him.
Tim McGrane: He wasa born salesman…and hewas the ultimate mediator. He hated conflict, so his salesman skills would often find a way(to settle things),The Barrett and Jackson familywere at oddsafter Tom passed away. He got them togetherand was successful in resolving the separation of the families.He also had the ability to deal with difficult people.Some of his top customers from around the world over many years were very challenging,but he had that diplomatic wayof dealing with them.
He had two sides …. there was the public side with The Auction event in Las Vegas with RichieClyne, whenhe was at Barrett-Jackson, and at Pebble Beach over the decades; however, his daily businesswas very low profile, almost anonymous.Hewas located in a non-descript building behind the gates atBlackhawk country club. Over the decades he had done many multi-million dollar sales, that even today would be headlines,but he kept it very quiet and low profile. Most of his customers were that way. The Tom Monaghan collection, the Samsung deal,theRalph Engelstad IPAC collection, the Lyon Collection deal, and so many more over the decades. Everyone knew him, and he knew everyone.He was always on the phone and would be in the officevery early,calling friends and acquaintances in Europe.
He hated meetings.He was a one-on-one person. He had that way abouthimthat if you met him once you’d remember him forever and he’d probably remember you.And regardless of where he was, his afternoon nap was important.
Martin Button: Don wasthe only guy we know whohad hisex-wifeas his bookkeeper.
Dolores Tryon: Inmynext life, I want to come back as one of Don Williams’ex-wivesbecause he was so generous and kind—ittells you the character of the man.
Keith Martin(Founder andPublisher, Sports Car Market): Don was a friend and mentor to me. From the earliest days of the Alfa Romeo Market Letter, he would pick up the phone and call me about the cars we were covering. He would never say “You got it wrong.” Instead it was, “Let me give you a little more information about this car.”
He was always gracious and had a good sense of humor about the collector car world. I already miss him.
Report by Ken Gross
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